{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,11]],"date-time":"2025-09-11T18:35:51Z","timestamp":1757615751855,"version":"3.44.0"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"African Journals Online (AJOL)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,8]],"date-time":"2025-08-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1754611200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Rwanda J Med Health Sci"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background Untreated dental caries is a leading cause of poor oral health and has a significant impact on quality of life. This study aimed to assess the effect of dental caries on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among secondary school students in Kigali, Rwanda.Methods An analytical quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among 646 students aged 12\u201321. Socio-demographics, oral hygiene, and caries experiences were collected. The oral impact on daily performance score was used to assess oral health-related quality of life. Binary analysis and multiple logistic regression were performed to investigate the association between variables and dental caries. ResultsThe study found a moderate DMFT index (3.3 \u00b1 3.9), with decayed teeth at 61.1%. Daily activity affected more than 91% of participants, pain affected 35%, and dissatisfaction with oral health, 58.5%. Participants aged 15\u201319 years had a higher prevalence of dental caries (AOR 3.3, P=0.03), the same as those who did not brush (P&lt;0.001), chewing foods (P&lt;0.001), or missed school (P&lt;0.001). The OIDP scores were greater among rural residents (P=0.001).ConclusionThe prevalence of dental caries was moderate. It significantly affected students\u2019 social, emotional, and physical well-being. These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to improve oral health and its impact on students\u2019 quality of life. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2025;8(2):295-305<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4314\/rjmhs.v8i2.11","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]],"date-time":"2025-09-05T14:49:58Z","timestamp":1757083798000},"page":"295-305","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Dental Caries Experience and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among Secondary School Students in Kigali, Rwanda"],"prefix":"10.4314","volume":"8","author":[{"family":"Susana Judith Tito Mamani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"family":"Peace Uwambaye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"family":"Judith Mukamurigo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"family":"Amanuel  Kidane Andegiorgish","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"2895","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,8]]},"container-title":["Rwanda Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ajol.info\/index.php\/rjmhs\/article\/download\/304093\/285840","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ajol.info\/index.php\/rjmhs\/article\/download\/304093\/285840","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]],"date-time":"2025-09-05T14:50:01Z","timestamp":1757083801000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ajol.info\/index.php\/rjmhs\/article\/view\/304093"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,8]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,31]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4314\/rjmhs.v8i2.11","relation":{},"ISSN":["2616-9827","2616-9819"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2616-9827"},{"type":"print","value":"2616-9819"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,8]]}}}