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Impact of oral health on the life quality of periodontal patients
Author(s) -
Needleman Ian,
McGrath Colman,
Floyd Peter,
Biddle Amanda
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of clinical periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.456
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1600-051X
pISSN - 0303-6979
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-051x.2004.00498.x
Subject(s) - medicine , toothache , quality of life (healthcare) , oral health , dentistry , nursing
Objectives: To assess the impact of oral health on the life quality of a periodontal patient group. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and five patients attending a private periodontal clinic completed a questionnaire incorporating the16‐item UK oral health‐related quality‐of‐life measure (OHQoL‐UK © ), a check list of questions about their periodontal health over the past year and a comprehensive periodontal examination. Results: The effect of oral health on quality of life was considerable, with many individuals experiencing negative impacts across a broad range of physical, social and psychological aspects of life quality. OHQoL‐UK © scores was associated with patient's self‐reported periodontal health in the past year: experiences of “swollen gums” ( p <0.01), “sore gums” ( p <0.01), “receding gums” ( p <0.01), “loose teeth” ( p <0.01), “drifting teeth” ( p <0.01), “bad breath” ( p <0.01) and “toothache” ( p <0.01). In addition, OHQoL‐UK © scores were correlated with the number of teeth with pocket depths of 5 mm or more ( r s −0.42, p <0.01). New patients had poorer oral health‐related quality of life compared with the treated maintenance group ( p <0.01). Conclusions: Periodontal status impacts on life quality. This has implications in understanding the consequences of periodontal health and in the use of patient‐centred outcomes in periodontal research.