Introduction: Molar–incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is a developmental enamel defect that affects first permanent molars and, frequently, incisors, leading to hypersensitivity, breakdown, and aesthetic concerns. While MIH’s global impact on oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL) is recognized, localized studies from India are scarce. Aims: The Aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of MIH on the OHRQoL in 8–10-year-old children in Kannur, Kerala, by translating, adapting, and validating the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ8–10) into Malayalam. Materials and Methods: A case–control study was conducted among 200 school children (100 with MIH, 100 controls) aged 8–10 years. The CPQ8–10 was translated into Malayalam using standard forward–backward methods, followed by cognitive pretesting and psychometric validation. MIH was diagnosed using the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry criteria. Quality of life scores across domains were compared using independent t -tests. Results and Discussion: The Malayalam CPQ8-10 showed high reliability, meaning the questionnaire consistently measured what it was intended to (internal consistency score of 0.88) and produced stable results when tested again (test–retest reliability of 0.89). Children with MIH had notably higher total scores (48.51) compared to children without MIH (33.55), indicating poor oral health experiences ( P < 0.0001). The difference was mainly seen in the oral symptoms domain, whereas functional, emotional, and social well-being did not show significant differences. Conclusion: MIH significantly affects children’s OHRQoL, primarily through symptoms such as pain and sensitivity. The validated Malayalam version of the CPQ8-10 questionnaire is a dependable tool for measuring these effects in the local population.
Chandran et al. (Thu,) studied this question.