his cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the relationship between primary school children's speaking attitudes and oral health indicators, including dental caries, malocclusion, and tooth loss. A total of 184 children aged 7-12 years participated. Sociodemographic data, oral examination findings, and Speaking Attitudes Scale for Children (SASC) scores were collected. The study seeks to identify whether oral health problems influence children's self-perceived communication confidence and to emphasize the importance of integrating oral health awareness into early educational settings.
This cross-sectional observational study was conducted to assess the association between primary school children's speaking attitudes and their oral health status. The study included 184 children aged 7-12 years who underwent intraoral examinations to record dental caries (dmft/DMFT indices), malocclusion, and tooth loss. The Speaking Attitudes Scale for Children (SASC) was used to evaluate children's attitudes toward their speaking skills. Data were analyzed to explore correlations between SASC scores and oral health indicators. The findings are expected to provide insight into how oral health conditions, such as untreated caries or malocclusion, may influence children's communication confidence and social participation. Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Erciyes University Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Approval No: 2024/211).
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
184
This is an observational study with no intervention applied. Data were collected through clinical oral examinations and self-administered questionnaires assessing speaking attitudes and oral health-related variables.
Erciyes University
Kayseri, Turkey (Türkiye)
Association between speaking attitude scores and oral health indicators
Time frame: Single assessment at baseline (cross-sectional study)
ssociation between speaking attitude scores and oral health indicators
The primary outcome was the relationship between speaking attitude scores (measured by the Speaking Attitude Scale for Primary School Children) and oral health indicators such as dental caries experience (DMFT/dmft), malocclusion, and tooth loss. Higher speaking attitude scores indicate more positive speaking attitudes.
Time frame: Single assessment at baseline (cross-sectional study)
Association between speaking attitude scores and oral health indicators
The primary outcome was the relationship between speaking attitude scores (measured by the Speaking Attitude Scale for Primary School Children) and oral health indicators such as dental caries experience (DMFT/dmft), malocclusion, and tooth loss. Higher speaking attitude scores indicate more positive speaking attitudes.
Time frame: Single assessment at baseline (cross-sectional study)
Relationship between oral health status and sociodemographic factors
Secondary analysis included evaluating the association between children's oral health indicators (DMFT/dmft, malocclusion, tooth loss) and sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, and parental education level.
Time frame: Single assessment at baseline
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