IMPACT OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND ORAL HEALTH ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Aim: the aim of this study was to correlate the caries experience of preschool children and parental perception using ecohis and correlate it with the socioeconomic status. Method: The sample consisted of 100 preschool children between the ages of 3 and 5 years.clinical examinations was performed by an examiner with children seated on chairs under natural light using mouth mirrors and cpi probes. Def index was used to assess the childs caries experience.the socioeconomic profile of parents/guardians was calculated using the kuppuswamys classification. A 13 item ecohis questionnaire was answered by the parents/guardians for assessing their perceptions on the influence of oral health on quality of life of these children.the data obtained was statistically analyzed using pearsons correlation test to correlate the parental perception to the caries experience of the child as well as their socioeconomic status. Results: A deft value of 3.27(+\-1.543) was found. With respect to socioeconomic classification, 68% of families were in the middle class. A statistically significant correlation was found between def and oral health-related quality of life for the overall score and domains of the questionnaire (p<0.001). Conclusions: It was found that dental caries had ahigh influence on oral health on quality of lifeof the preschool children and the assessment of socioeconomic conditions of the childrens families may guide practices aiming to reducing inequalities in the distribution of dental caries in the population.