The Association between Dental Health Status and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life of Children Diagnosed with -Thalassemia Major in Zahedan City, Iran

Background: b-thalassemia major is a common hereditary blood disease that can affect patients’ oral health and quality of life. The present study aims to determine the relationship between health of deciduous teeth and the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in children diagnosed with β-thalassemia major compared with healthy children. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study was performed on 50 children diagnosed with β-thalassemia major and 50 healthy children aged 3-6 years old. Decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) of the participants were measured according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and the OHRQoL with the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 19.0. Results: The results showed that the dmft index of the patient group with a mean of 5.36 was significantly higher than the healthy group with a mean of 3.36. The mean OHRQoL in the patient group (19.24) was significantly higher than that of the healthy group (11.24). The mean dmft had a significant positive relationship with the ECOHIS score of the children with thalassemia major (r=0.769, p=0.000), and healthy children (r=0.756, p=0.000). Conclusion: According the results, the positive correlation between the dmft index and the mean OHRQoL indicated that dental problems in most children with β-thalassemia major are associated with a poorer OHRQoL. Since the dmft index and ECOHIS were higher among children diagnosed with β-thalassemia major, the prevention and treatment of dental problems seem necessary for improving their quality of life.