title: Non-surgical periodontal therapy improves oral health-related quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The influence of non-surgical periodontal therapy on oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five Chinese adults (25 men, mean 47.4 years) with moderate-to-advanced chronic periodontitis were recruited. All received oral hygiene instructions (OHI) and non-surgical periodontal treatment in a quadrant-wise approach, followed by recalls at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post treatment, when OHI and prophylaxis were repeated. Clinical parameters were recorded, and oral health impact profile short-form (OHIP-14S) was administered at all time points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Moderate-to-deep sites (≥4 mm) decreased from 31.0% to 3.0% at 12 months post treatment (p < 0.005) which corresponded well with reductions in plaque, 72.8% to 25.4% (p < 0.005) and bleeding on probing, 86.3% to 32.0% (p < 0.005). Median OHIP-14S scores gradually reduced from 17 at baseline to 14 over the first 6 months and remained plateaued at 12-month post treatment (p < 0.005). Improvements in subdomains of physical pain, psychological discomfort and psychological disability accounted for the changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that OHQoL, in particular, pain and psychological subdomains, improvement was associated with non-surgical periodontal therapy responses. Clinicians could capitalize upon the positive psychological OHQoL impacts of mechanical periodontal treatment for subsequent patient-centred motivation during maintenance therapy.
authors.affiliation: The University of Hong Kong, SAR, China.
authors.forename: Ruby M S
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Sam K S
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Esmonde F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Corbet
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Keung Leung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D016896:Treatment Outcome