Malocclusion and oral health indicators among children in China: a cross-sectional study

Relevance. Malocclusion is one of the most common oral health conditions affecting children; it can make effective oral hygiene more difficult and increase the risk of dental caries and gingivitis. To date, relatively few epidemiological oral health surveys have been conducted in central and western China; most studies have focused on eastern and coastal regions. This geographical imbalance highlighted the need to survey adolescents aged 12–17 years in central and western China and examine the relationship of malocclusion with dental caries and gingivitis. Our dental survey of adolescents in this region, which included assessment using the OHI-S, PLI, GI, PMA, and DMFT indices as well as multivariable analysis, was designed to address this gap. The aim was to systematically compare oral hygiene status, caries experience, and gingival health between adolescents with malocclusion and their peers with normal occlusion, who served as the control group, using standardized assessment methods.

Materials and methods. This cross-sectional study included 75 children (60 with malocclusion and 15 with normal occlusion). Oral hygiene, caries experience, and gingivitis severity were assessed using the OHI-S, DMFT, GI, and PMA indices. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0.

Results. The malocclusion group had significantly poorer oral hygiene (OHI-S: 2.80 ± 0.11 vs 1.60 ± 0.13), greater caries experience (DMFT: 4.20 ± 0.27 vs 1.80 ± 0.31), and more pronounced gingival inflammation (GI: 1.80 ± 0.08 vs 1.0 ± 0.1; PMA: 25.60 ± 1.07 vs 12.40 ± 1.32); these differences remained significant after adjustment.

Conclusion. Malocclusion is an independent risk factor for dental caries and gingivitis, primarily owing to impaired oral hygiene associated with dental crowding. These findings underscore the need for early diagnosis and treatment of malocclusion, individualized oral hygiene instruction, and regular dental follow-up for affected patients.

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