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The Adverse Impact of Thalassemia Major on Adolescents’ Oral Health-related Quality of Life

Background: Adolescents with beta-thalassemia major (βTM) had unfavorable quality of life (QOL). Objectives: To assess oral health status of adolescents with βTM and its impact on their oral health-related QOL (OHRQoL). Subjects and Methods: Forty adolescents with βTM were recruited and compared with 40 age-matched and sex-matched healthy adolescents. Intraoral examination including dental caries assessment, oral hygiene index simplified (OHI-S), and Angle classification were performed. OHRQoL questionnaires were filled-out using child perception questionnaire-short form16. Results: Although the majority of adolescents with βTM had dental problems and convinced by their need for dental treatment, nearly half of them never brushed their teeth nor visited dental office. Patients showed higher frequency of class II malocclusion (P=0.017) and higher percentage of poor simplified debris index (DI-S) and OHI-S grade (P=0.008, 0.037, respectively). The median of DI-S and OHI-S were significantly higher in adolescents with βTM (P=0.009, 0.037, respectively). Adolescents with βTM had worse emotional well-being total score (P=0.049) than controls. Patients with poor oral hygiene had the worse total OHRQoL score (P=0.03). The total OHRQoL score showed significant positive correlation with oral hygiene; DI-S, calculus index-S, and OHI-S (P=0.028, 0.038, and 0.045, respectively). Conclusion: βTM had a negative impact on the emotional well-being aspect.