Prevalence of early loss of primary molar and its impact in schoolchildren's quality of life.

Background: Evidence regarding the impact of premature loss of primary molars on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is lacking.

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of premature loss of primary molars in schoolchildren and its impact on OHRQoL.

Design: We randomly selected 667 children aged 8-9 years enrolled in public and private schools from Aracaju (Brazil). The presence of untreated dental caries and early loss of primary molars were recorded, and its impacts on OHRQoL evaluated using Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ ). Influence of some variables on tooth loss and OHRQoL was assessed by multilevel Poisson's regression analysis (P < 0.05).

Results: The prevalence for early tooth loss was 65.4% (95% confidence interval 51.1%-77.3%). Children with untreated dental caries and attending public schools presented higher prevalence of early tooth loss. Moreover, early loss of primary molars provoked negative impact on OHRQoL considering total score of CPQ and domains "oral symptoms," "functional limitations" and "emotional well-being." Children presenting early teeth loss presented significantly higher scores of CPQ , as well as females and children with dental caries in other teeth.

Conclusions: The prevalence of early loss of primary molars is high, and it impacts the OHRQoL of children aged 8-9 years.