Impact of General and Oral Complications of Diabetes Mellitus Type I on Lebanese Children’s Quality of Life

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus type I (DM1) has been increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Children suffering from this chronic disease are subject to a high risk of systemic and oral complications, due to their young age and the lack of awareness of the relation between diabetes and oral health. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of oral and general complications of DM1 on the Lebanese children's quality of life. The goal was to assess the child's behavioral issues on the one hand and the oral issues on the other. Materials and methods: About 37 diabetic Lebanese children aged between 6 and 12 years, recruited from the Chronic Care Center (CCC), answered two questionnaires, one related to the disease and the second related to the oral complications. Results: A majority of the participants (81.1%) are aware of their disease, 73% know the importance of their treatment and 54.1% are able to control their glycemia; 45.9% are not annoyed with constantly carrying a monitor and 67.5% are bothered by their restricted diet. Only 5.4% of children isolate themselves. Concerning the oral complications: About 83.8% of the children do not suffer from oral ulcers, 56.8% are caries-free, and 64.9% have completed their dental treatment; 89.2% do not complain while eating and 94.6% are not able to brush their teeth properly. Conclusion: Diabetic patients are found to have good knowledge of the disease and its systemic complications but a little on their increased risk for oral diseases. In order to ensure a good quality of life for the diabetic children and their families, optimal control of diabetes, appropriate oral hygiene, and regular visits to the dentist must be respected.How to cite this article: Noueiri B, Nassif N, Ollek A. Impact of General and Oral Complications of Diabetes Mellitus Type I on Lebanese Children's Quality of Life. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2018;11(1):40-45.