Association between periodontal health status and patient‐reported outcomes in patients managed in a non‐specialist, general dental practice

Aims To explore the associations between periodontal status and patient‐reported outcomes ( PRO s) in a large cohort of patients based in non‐specialist general dental practice. Materials and methods Analysis was conducted using data from 14,620 patients, in 233 non‐specialist dental practices across the UK . As part of routine clinical care, data on periodontal probing depths ( PPD ), alveolar bone loss ( ABL ), bleeding on probing (BoP) as well as PRO s (oral pain/discomfort, dietary restrictions and dental appearance) were recorded using an online database. The associations between periodontal status and PRO s were investigated using logistic regression analysis, adjusting for confounders. Results We found a positive association between worse periodontal health and the prevalence of PRO s. After adjustment for confounders, 13.8% of patients in the healthiest category ( PPD  < 5 mm, ABL  < 2 mm, no BoP) reported pain/discomfort, compared to 20.7% of patients in the worst category ( PPD  > 7 mm, ABL  > 4 mm). A similar trend was seen with reporting a restricted diet and unhappiness with appearance. Conclusion This study provides novel insights into the associations between periodontal status and PRO s in a non‐specialist, general dental practice, highlighting the benefits of prevention and management of periodontitis.