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Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Oral health takes into account the oral function, in addition to social and psychological limitations caused by problems in the mouth or teeth. Dental pain is still one of the factors that directly impacts the quality of life of individuals. Evaluating oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is important to help propose and implement public health promotion policies. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the OHRQoL of patients treated at a dental emergency service. METHODOLOGY: This is an analytical cross-sectional study carried out with individuals over 18 years of age, of both sexes, treated at the Faculty Clinics of Dentistry at the Centro Universitário Goyazes, in Trindade, Goiás. The OHRQoL was evaluated using the OHIP-14 questionnaire, applied before the consultation. Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected, such as age, sex, family income, previous pain experience, and others. The influence of these variables on OHRQoL was evaluated using inferential statistical tests. RESULTS: A total of 82 patients were included, most of them female, from the urban area, brown in color, and with an average income between 2 and 4 minimum wages. Physical pain and psychological discomfort were the main domains associated with worse OHRQoL. Being female and earning up to one minimum wage had a negative impact on the OHRQoL. CONCLUSION: Female gender, family income of up to one minimum wage and past history of pain are associated with worse OHRQoL.