Oral health-related quality of life associations to periodontal conditions

Abstract

The clinical form and severity of periodontal of periodontal disorders may have negative effects on oral health related
quality of life (OHQoL). The oral health impact profile questionnaire (OHIP-14) is the most frequently used instrument to
evaluate the effects of intraoral disorders on the perception of well-being of patients.
The modified OHIP-14 was used with 45 people (29 were in the chronic periodontitis and 16 in the control group) to
evaluate the effects of periodontal conditions on OHQoL. In the periodontitis group significantly higher level of impact was
observed in questions connected to aesthetics, psychological discomfort, physical pain and functional limitation. Higher
periodontal probing depth was frequently associated with self-report of pain either in the anterior or posterior dental
regions. There was also a significant correlation between the functional limitation and the number of missing teeth, the
bleeding on probing and the probing depth.
It is concluded that the periodontal disorders may have negative effects on certain parameters of OHQoL, hence during
periodontal investigation the dental clinician should ask anamnestic questions in relation to quality of life.