Does oral health influence school performance and school attendance? A systematic review and meta‐analysis

• Published in: International journal of paediatric dentistry Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 138 - 148
• Main Authors: Rebelo, Maria Augusta Bessa, Rebelo Vieira, Janete Maria, Pereira, Juliana Vianna, Quadros, Larissa Neves, Vettore, Mario Vianna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-03-2019
• Subjects: Adolescents; Children; Dental caries; dental problems; Meta-analysis; oral health; Oral hygiene; School attendance; school performance; Systematic review; Teeth; school attendance; oral health; school performance; dental problems; adolescents; children
• ISSN: 0960-7439; 1365-263X
• DOI: 10.1111/ipd.12441

Aim
To examine the evidence on the influence of oral health status on school performance and school attendance in children and adolescents.
Design
A systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA included epidemiological studies that assessed concomitantly oral health measures, participants’ school performance and/or school attendance. Electronic search was conducted on MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and LILACS. Studies published up to May 2018 in any language were eligible. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale. Meta‐analysis was used to obtain pooled estimates between oral health measures and school performance and school attendance.
Results
Eighteen studies were included. Of them, fifteen studies were used for the meta‐analyses. Most studies were assessed as moderate quality. Children with one or more decayed teeth had higher probability of poor school performance (OR = 1.44 95%CI: 1.24‐1.64) and poor school attendance (OR = 1.57 95%CI: 1.08‐2.05) than caries‐free children. Poor parent's perception of child's oral health increased the odds of worse school performance (OR = 1.51 95%CI: 1.10‐1.92) and poor school attendance (OR = 1.35 95%CI: 1.14‐1.57).
Conclusions
Children and adolescents with dental caries and those reporting worse oral health experience poor school performance and poor school attendance.