Oral health and quality of life in Norwegian and Russian school children: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE To document the oral health status, to study oral health determinants and oral health-related quality of life among 12-year-olds from the Barents Euro-Arctic Region. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was conducted in Severodvinsk (North-West Russia) and Tromsø (Northern Norway). Two schools representing each region were selected and all 12-year-old pupils having obtained their parents' written consent were included (Severodvinsk n=48, Tromsø n=36). Background factors were collected by questionnaires. Oral health conditions, i.e. caries (DMFT/S), oral hygiene (OHI-S) and satisfaction with their own dental appearance were recorded under field conditions and possible associations between background factors and the children's oral health status were studied. RESULTS Oral health was better among Norwegian than Russian participants. The most important factors explaining variation in oral health were country of origin and treatment (filling/no filling) received at the last dental visit. Among parental factors, education and oral health status were of importance. Oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) was found to be related to oral health conditions. CONCLUSIONS Norwegian 12 year old pupils presented with better oral health than their Russian counterparts. Oral health is of importance for self-perceived quality of life.