Periodontal disease and quality of life in British adults.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the association between periodontal disease and quality of life in British adults, independently of demographic factors, socioeconomic position and other common oral conditions.


METHODS
This is a cross-sectional study of 3122 dentate adults who participated in the 1998 Adult Dental Health Survey in the United Kingdom. The short-form oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) was used to assess oral health-related quality of life. Periodontal disease was defined as having at least two proximal sites with loss of attachment 4mm and one proximal site with pocket depth 4mm, not necessarily on the same tooth. The association between periodontal disease and the OHIP-14 score was assessed in unadjusted, partially adjusted and fully adjusted models.


RESULTS
Periodontal disease was associated with the OHIP-14 score (rate ratio: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.16-1.38), even after adjustment for demographic factors (sex, age and English region or country), socioeconomic position (educational attainment and household income) and clinical conditions (number of teeth, partial denture use, dental caries, traumatic dental injuries and tooth wear).


CONCLUSIONS
Periodontal disease was associated with quality of life, independent of socio-demographic characteristics and other conditions present in the mouth.
Bernabé
Eduardo
E
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK. e.bernabe@qmul.ac.uk
Marcenes
Wagner
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D057085:Tooth Wear / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D006113:United Kingdom