title: Dental status, xerostomia and the oral health-related quality of life of an elderly institutionalized population.
abstract: The author examined the relative effects of tooth loss and xerostomia on the oral health-related quality of life of an elderly, medically compromised population, living in a long-term care setting. Data were collected from 225 subjects (mean age: 83 years) via a questionnaire and review of dental charts. Oral health-related quality of life was assessed using self-ratings, satisfaction ratings, an index of chewing capacity, the GOHAI, and OHIP-14. Almost all participants had one or more chronic medical conditions and were taking prescribed medications. Two-thirds of the study group was dentulous with a mean number of 16 remaining teeth. One-third of the participants had scores on a xerostomia index indicating marked oral dryness. In bivariate and multivariate analyses, xerostomia index scores were significantly associated with all oral health-related quality of life outcomes. Dental status was associated with chewing capacity only. The results suggest that xerostomia has an important influence on the well-being and quality of life of this population.
authors.affiliation: Community Dental Health Services Research Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, 124, Edward Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1G6. david.locker@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Locker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011788:Quality of Life; D012647:Self-Assessment; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000523:psychology*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000523:psychology*