Association Between Oral Health Status And Quality Of Life Among Selected South Indian Population

Background: Periodontal disease is a major oral health problem, which approximately affects 15–17% of the adult population. However, the periodontal disease not only affects the supporting structures of the oral cavity, but also has a negative impact on the oral health-related quality of life. Aim: the aim of the study was to assess the association between oral health status and quality of life among a selected South Indian population. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted among 150 outpatients who reported to the Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, India. Based on the periodontal status of the patients, patients were categorised as follows: Group 1 - Clinically healthy (50 patients); Group 2 - Gingivitis (50 patients); Group 3 - Periodontitis (50 patients). To measure patient based outcomes, Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) item questionnaire was used. The OHIP-14 questionnaire consists of seven divisions and the patients were asked to rate each item on a 5-point scale. The OHIP-14 score is the sum of responses and ranges from 0 to 56. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Software, Version 23.0). The association between oral health status and quality of life was done using Chisquare test. The level of significance was set at p<0.05.