Assessment of oral health status and oral health-related quality of life in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)

Abstract

Introduction: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood onset behavioral disorders that become apparent in the preschool and early school years and can continue through adolescence . Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and ADHD have often been studied together and it is often hard to make a differential diagnosis of each other. Oral diseases such as dental caries or periodontal disease can seriously impair quality of life (QOL) and can affect various aspects of life, including oral function, appearance, and interpersonal relationships. Objectives: Assessment of oral health status and oral health-related quality of life in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in compare of non-ADHD/ODD groap. Methods: This study included a total of 120 children aged between3 and 7 years and they were examined under two groups as “ADHD /ODD” (n = 40) and “Control” (n = 80) Oral health status was assessed using the gingival index and the decayed, missing, and filled teeth score for permanent (DMFT) and primary (dmft) teeth, and compared between the groups. Information regarding Oral health related quality of life was collected from the pediatric oral health related quality of life (POQL) Questionnaire .parents answered questions and The research data collected by the questionnaire form were coded for scale items and personal information questions. Mean and standard deviation (SD) were used to describe continuous variables and analyzing the distributions of variables in the two groups, the chi-square or Fisher exact test was used. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software. The differences were considered significant when P < 0.05.

Results: Total mean score of DMFT in ADHD group was higher than control group (10.10 ± 0.80 vs. 5.25 ± 1.97) and The frequency of GI 2 (children with moderately inflamed gingiva with bleeding on probing) in ADHD /ODD group was higher than the control group (62.50 % vs. 25.0 %). the mean of emotional domain, in ADHD/ODD group was lower than control group and this difference was significant. the mean of role and social domains was lower in ADHD /ODD group, that not statistically significant (P-value > 0.05) .in this study oral health-related quality of life score in ADHD/ODD group was lower than the control group and these differences was significant (P-value < 0.05).

Conclusion: Questionnaire which is used for ADHD/ODD patients should be prepared carefully and the results should be interpreted with caution. Objective questionnaire may give more accurate data in this group of patients.