Effects of toothache on the educational and social status of Effects of toothache on the educational and social status of children

Abstract

Effects of toothache on the educational and social status of children Mehmet S Dogan1*, Ahmet Aras1, Osman Atas2, Abdullah E Karaali3, Ayse Gunay4, Haluk M Akbaba5, Izzet Yavuz4 1. Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Harran University, Sanliurfa 63510, Turkey 2. Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Fırat University, Elazıg 23119, Turkey 3. Special Dental Clinical, Hatay 35150, Turkey 4. Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Dicle University, Diyarbakir 21010, Turkey 5. Special Dental Clinical, Konya 42586, Turkey *E-mail: dtlider@hotmail.com Abstract Background: Untreated tooth cavities and the resulting toothaches have significant effects on children’s social and psychological development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of toothache on children’s educational and social activities. Methods: For this retrospective study, we issued a 15-question survey to the parents of 515 children between ages of 5–16 years in Diyarbakır, Turkey. The chi-square test was used to test the strength of the relationship between two variables (p ≤ 0.05). Results: 318 (61.7%) parents reported having difficulty in feeding their children, 94 (18.3%) left a game due to toothache, 173 (33.6%) had school absences, 167 (32.4%) avoided laughing, and 439 (85.2%) parents felt that dental problems influenced their child’s success in school. Conclusions: Tooth pain has a negative impact on school and the social lives of children. Families need education about this issue, and health policies should be developed to address this problem. Keywords: education; pain; quality of life; toothache