BMC Public Health. 2026 Jun 4. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-27958-1. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate oral health parameters and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and compare them with non-CKD peers. Additionally, the impact of various sociodemographic, health-related, and oral health parameters on HRQoL was examined within the CKD group.
METHODS: In this cross-sectional observational study, 82 children with CKD were compared to 85 non-CKD controls within the same age range. Participants were evaluated through a comprehensive clinical assessment that included sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, oral hygiene habits, and oral health parameters including dental caries, oral hygiene status, gingival health, and developmental enamel defects. Both child self-report and parent proxy-report versions of the KINDL questionnaire were used to assess HRQoL. Statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate group differences and associations between variables.
RESULTS: Children with CKD had significantly lower HRQoL scores across all domains (p < 0.05). They also exhibited higher rates of enamel defects, gingival inflammation, and poorer oral hygiene. Although DMFT/dft scores were lower in the CKD group, ICDAS II showed a higher prevalence of early carious lesions. Multiple regression analysis revealed that HRQoL was significantly associated with CKD status, number of siblings, oral hygiene, and gingival health (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Oral health is strongly associated with HRQoL in children with CKD. Public health strategies should prioritize regular HRQoL monitoring and early preventive dental care to improve overall well-being in this vulnerable population.
PMID:42243776 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-026-27958-1
