ORAL IMPACTS AFFECTING DAILY PERFORMANCE IN A LOW DENTAL DISEASE THAIPOPULATION

The aim of the study was to measure incidence of oral impacts on daily performances and their related features in a low dental disease popul ation. 501 people aged 35-44 years in 16 rural villages in Ban Phang d istrict, Khon Kaen, Thailand, were interviewed about oral impacts on n ine physical, psychological and social aspects of performance during t he past 6 months, and then had an oral examination. The clinical and b ehavioural data showed that the sample had low caries (DMFT=2.7) and a low utilization of dental services. 73.6% of all subjects had at leas t one daily performance affected by an oral impact. The highest incide nce of performances affected were Eating (49.7%), Emotional stability (46.5%) and Smiling (26.1%). Eating, Emotional stability and Cleaning teeth performances had a high frequency or long duration of impacts, b ut a low severity. The low frequency performances; Physical activities , Major role activity and Sleeping were rated as high severity. Pain a nd discomfort were mainly perceived as the causes of impacts (40.1%) f or almost every performance except Smiting. Toothache was the major ca usal oral condition (32.7%) of almost all aspects of performance. It w as concluded that this low caries people have as high an incidence of oral impacts as industrialized, high dental disease populations. Frequ ency and severity presented the paradoxical effect on different perfor mances and should both be taken into account for overall estimation of impacts.