EC Dental Science

The present study analyzes the impact of dental caries on oral health-related quality of life (QQoL) in adults over 18 years of age attending a primary dental care center in Resistencia, Chaco (Argentina). A cross-sectional study was conducted in which the DMFT index was applied to assess caries experience and the GOHAI questionnaire to measure BSQoL. The results show a high DMFT index (mean = 17.5; SD = 6.9), with a predominance of the “missing teeth” component. A positive and significant correlation was observed between age and DMFT index (r = 0.63, p = 0.01), as well as a negative correlation between DMFT and bqQoL (r = -0.36, p = 0.03), indicating that a higher caries burden is associated with a worse perception of quality of life. The dimension of pain or discomfort was the most affected. These findings highlight the need to strengthen preventive strategies and improve access to conservative treatments to reduce the burden of oral disease and improve the quality of life of the population. Further research into factors associated with HRQoL is recommended to develop more effective interventions.
Keywords: Oral Health; Dental Caries; Quality of Life

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