Oral Health-related Quality of Life in Two Distinct Recalls Intervals in High Caries Risk Preschool Children After 8 Months Follow-up

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) in two different clinical recall intervals in high caries risk preschool children.
Methods: The sample consisted in 224 children, 3 to 5 years-old with at least one active caries lesion, according to the ICDAS criteria. Initially, all caries lesions were treated and children received oral health instructions. After that, at the baseline, the Brazilian version of ECOHIS (B-ECOHIS) was applied, this questionnaire evaluates the parents' perception of children's OHRQoL and contains 13 questions.
Children were randomly allocated into two groups: Group1 (n=112) recall interval every four months. Group 2 (n=112) recall interval every eight months. In all the recalls of both groups the new cavitated caries lesions were treated and B-ECOHIS was reapplied. Both groups were followed-up for 8 months.

Results: A total of 212 children remained in sample (Group 1 = 108 and Group 2 =104). Therefore children from Group 1 had two recall visits while children from Group 2 had only one recall visit.
The results showed that most of B-ECOHIS was answered by mothers (96.7%) and there was none "I do not know" answer. After 8 months followed-up there were no differences between Group 1 and Group2 in OHRQoL (p = 0.800). Very few new caries lesions were observed during this period and they did not have any impact on OHRQoL.
Conclusions: This shows that in a short term, the recall interval of 4 and 8 months are similar in OHRQoL in high risk caries preschool children.