Changes In Oral Health-related Quality Of Life Research Articles

Impact of dental treatments under general anesthesia on oral health-related quality of life in children: a comprehensive meta-analysis

BackgroundChildren’s oral health significantly impacts their overall well-being, daily activities, and social interactions. Dental treatments under general anesthesia are often required for extensive dental problems, special health care needs, or dental phobias, particularly in pediatric populations. The objective of this meta-analysis was to systematically review and synthesize existing research on how dental treatments under general anesthesia affect the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in children.MethodsThe electronic databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus were systematically reviewed following PRISMA guidelines to identify studies evaluating OHRQoL changes after dental treatments under general anesthesia. Studies involving ECOHIS and COHRQoL scales in pre- and postoperative assessments were included. The mean differences between scale measurements before and after dental treatments under general anesthesia were reported as the standard mean difference (SMD), and effect sizes for Hedges’ g were classified as follows: small effect (0.2), medium effect (0.5), large effect (0.8). All meta-analysis statistical computation was carried out using the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman method for the random effects model.ResultsA total of 36 papers satisfied the inclusion criteria and were subsequently included in the investigation. In the pooled analysis, treatments under general anesthesia in children improved OHRQoL (ECOHIS) in the short term with a significantly large effect size (SMD = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.07–2.24, p < 0.001; τ2 = 2.18, I2 = 98.9, p < 0.001). Similarly, dental treatment under general anesthesia increased the COHRQoL score in children with a significantly large effect size (SMD = 1.32, 95% CI: 0.81–1.84, p < 0.001; τ2 = 0.78, I2 = 97.3, p < 0.001).ConclusionThe findings of this meta-analysis suggest that there was evidence that OHRQoL of children receiving dental treatment under general anesthesia improves with a large effect size in the short-term following treatment.

Influence of malocclusion on OHRQoL in adolescents in initial orthodontic treatment phase.

Besides correcting malocclusions, another main objective of orthodontic treatment is to improve patients' oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). This study aimed to assess changes in OHRQoL of children within the first six months of orthodontic therapy with fixed orthodontic appliances. 85 patients aged 11 to 14 years requiring fixed orthodontic appliance therapy were included. The children completed the German version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ-G-11-14) before (T0), 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T2) after the start of orthodontic treatment. The type of malocclusion was categorized according to the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). The initial type of malocclusion affected the children's OHRQoL, whereas gender and age did not. The IOTN dental health component (DHC) had a significant impact on the CPQ score (median CPQ of 15.00 for the group DHC 4 vs. 22.50 for DHC 5, p = 0.032). The onset of orthodontic treatment initially affected the CPQ domains "Oral symptoms" and "Functional limitations, with a change versus baseline of 2.00 (p = 0.001), but improved again after 6 months. Regression analysis demonstrated that children with an IOTN DHC 5 malocclusion experienced a greater impact on their ORHQoL, as indicated by a CPQ score 7.35 points higher than that of children with an IOTN DHC 4 malocclusion (p = 0.015). At the beginning of orthodontic treatment, the OHRQoL slightly worsens, probably due to the discomfort and appearance of the appliances. However, 6 months after the start of orthodontic treatment, OHRQoL improved again in patients with severe malocclusion (IOTN 4 and 5), and approached baseline values. The results help the clinician to better understand specific aspects of oral health that may be affected by different malocclusions, thereby improving the child's satisfaction and overall quality of life.

Impact of dental sedation treatment on the oral health-related quality of life of distressed young children: A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

Little is known regarding the impact of dental treatment under sedation on distressed young children's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). To evaluate the impact of dental treatment under sedation on the OHRQoL of children and their families. Caregivers of two-to-six-year-old children answered the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS): (1) before treatment under sedation (T0), (2) two weeks (T1) and (3) 3 months after the completion of treatment (T2). A global transition judgment was included in the posttreatment evaluations to determine the perception of changes in OHRQoL after dental treatment. Bivariate analysis was performed. Changes in scores and effect sizes (ES) were calculated. Reductions were found at both posttreatment evaluations in the total B-ECOHIS scores (median [25th-75th percentile] at T0: 14 [9.8-21.7]; T1: 2.0 [0.0-5.1]; T2: 2.0 [0.0-6.7]); "child impact" section (T0: 8.8 [4.0-13.1]; T1: 0.0 [0.0-2.2]; T2: 0.0 [0.0-4.3]) and "family impact" section (T0: 6.0 [4.0-8.5]; T1: 0.0 [0.0-2.0]; T2: 0.0 [0.0-2.0]) (≤0.001; large ES). In 92.3% of cases at T1 and 88.3% at T2, caregivers reported that their child's oral health improved considerably. Dental treatment under sedation significantly improved the OHRQoL of the children and their families.

Short and long effects of the COVID-19 context on oral health-related quality of life of adolescents.

To assess the immediate and late effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of adolescents. This is a longitudinal study performed with adolescents (11-15 years old) from Southern Brazil who were evaluated before the COVID-19 outbreak, and 3 (T2) and 15 (T3) months after the beginning of the pandemic. OHRQoL was assessed using the CPQ11-14. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were also collected. Changes in OHRQoL before, 3 and 15 months after the start of the pandemic were analyzed through multilevel Poisson regression models for repeated measures. A total of 290 adolescents were evaluated at T1, 207 were re-evaluated at T2, and 204 at T3. Overall CPQ11-14 scores over follow-ups were 11.0 (SD 8.0) at T1, 8.3 (SD 7.8) and 12.8 (SD 8.8) at T3. Compared to T1, adolescents presented 29% lower overall CPQ11-14 scores (IRR 0.71 95% CI 0.66-0.75) at T2, and 11% higher scores at T3 (IRR 1.11 95% CI 1.05-1 0.17), especially for the emotional and social well-being domains. COVID-19 pandemic impacted the adolescents' OHRQoL differently over time, indicating a reduction in impacts immediately after the beginning and worsening over long term exposure to this scenario.

Perception of Oral Health-related Quality of Life Before the First Step and After the Second Step of Periodontal Therapy

Background: Periodontal research has focused on clinical outcomes of periodontitis and in a lesser extent on patient-reported outcomes. Objective: The objectives of this study were to 1) determine oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) before the first step and after the second step of periodontitis therapy and 2) compare sociodemographic and clinical characteristics with changes in OHRQoL. Methods: Patients with periodontitis that had never been treated with subgingival plaque instrumentation were recruited. Clinical parameters were recorded. A questionnaire was applied to collect sociodemographic data, smoking status, and pain. The Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) was used to evaluate OHRQoL before the first step and after the second step of periodontitis therapy. Results: Fifty-one participants completed the study, mean age 46.88 years ± 11.16. OHIP-14 total score decreased from 16.98 ± 11.48 to 8.41 ± 9.06 after treatment. Improvements in physical pain, psychological discomfort, physical disability, psychological disability, social disability, and handicap accounted for the changes. The most frequent periodontal staging was stage III. As for grading, Grade A was diagnosed in 16 (31.37 %) participants, Grade B in 16 (31.37 %), and Grade C in 17 (33.33 %). Mean plaque index was 61.4 % ± 17.6 before the first step of periodontitis therapy and 22.8 % ± 10.6 after. Pain in the last month decreased after periodontal care. No differences in OHRQoL changes were detected when comparing age categories, gender, and educational level. Better scores were reported from non-smokers, before and after therapy (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Periodontal therapy had a positive impact on self-perceived quality of life of patients.

A randomized clinical trial investigating the effect of three vital tooth bleaching protocols on oral health-related quality of life

ObjectivesThis study aimed to compare changes in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) resulting from three vital tooth bleaching protocols. MethodsThe participants (n = 105) were randomly assigned to one of three vital bleaching treatment groups: home bleaching (HB), in-office bleaching (IOB), or combined bleaching (CB). HB involved the use of custom-made trays and 10% carbamide peroxide for a 14-day treatment period. IOB utilized 37.5% hydrogen peroxide applied in three cycles. CB treatment involved the use of IOB followed by HB. Tooth colour change was evaluated using a shade guide (ΔVS) and a digital spectrophotometry device (ΔES). The Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) and Oral Impact on Daily Performance-22 (OIDP-22) instruments were used to assess changes in OHRQoL at baseline, 15-days and 6-month recalls. Linear mixed models were used to estimate between- and within-group differences. ResultsAll bleaching protocols led to significant improvements in overall OHIP-14 scores at the 6-month recall (p ≤ 0.037). CB and IOB treatments were associated with more substantial positive impacts on overall scores, psychological discomfort, physical disability (CB only), and psychological disability (CB only) compared to HB (p ≤ 0.011). Significant enhancements in OIDP-22 scores were observed in the CB and HB groups at the 6-month recall compared to baseline (p ≤ 0.006), with evidence indicating that these improvements were greater in the CB group compared to the IOB group (p = 0.007). ConclusionAll bleaching treatments demonstrated a positive impact on OHRQoL. However, the positive impact was most consistent across domains and age groups in the CB group. The positive impact was less pronounced in older age groups.

Perception of oral health related quality of life and orofacial aesthetics following restorative treatment of tooth wear: A five-year follow-up

ObjectivesNon-carious tooth wear often has a multifactorial etiology and may lead to functional or aesthetically related problems. The most common complaints associated with tooth wear are dissatisfaction with dental appearance and a negative impact on the experienced Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL). The aim of this study was to investigate the change in OHRQoL and the perception of aesthetics, following restorative treatment of moderate to severe tooth wear patients, with a five-year follow-up. MethodsAn explorative study, based on prospective data, was performed. OHRQoL and the perception of aesthetics were measured with the OHIP-NL and OES-NL. These questionnaires were completed before treatment, one month after treatment, and at 1-, 3- and 5-years post-treatment. Treatment involved full mouth reconstruction with composite resin restorations. The data was analysed as repeated measures by using a linear mixed-effects model. ResultsOne hundred and twenty-three tooth wear patients that received restorative rehabilitation were included (97 males, 26 females, 37.5 ± 8.8 years-old). Data showed a statistically significant increase in both experienced OHRQoL and orofacial appearance after restorative treatment. The OHIP-scores remained stable over time, while the OES-scores slightly decreased during the years after treatment. Regarding the seven domains of the OHIP, the largest difference in OHIP-score was found in the domain of ‘Psychological Discomfort’. The mean overall OHIP-score was 1.8 at baseline and 1.3 at the 5-years recall. The mean OES score increased from 41.8 at baseline to 66.1 at the 5-years follow-up. ConclusionsTooth wear patients reported significant improvements in their OHRQoL and their perception of orofacial aesthetics after restorative treatment. This increase remained at least five years post-treatment. Clinical SignificanceThe clinical impact of restorative treatment for tooth wear patients is considerable. This paper emphasizes the need to include a discussion of the patient related outcome measures when planning care.

Association Between Changes in Oral Health-Related Quality of Life and Depressive Symptoms in the Korean Elderly Population.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the association between changes in oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) and depressive symptoms in the elderly South Koreans. Methods: We used the 2018 and 2020 Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing data. Our study population was a total of 3,604 participants aged over 65 in 2018. The independent variable of interest was the changes in the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index as OHRQoL between 2018 and 2020. The dependent variable was depressive symptoms in 2020. Multivariable logistic regression analyzed the associations between changes in OHRQoL and depressive symptoms. Results: Participants with improvement in OHRQoL over 2-year period were likely to have fewer depressive symptoms in 2020. Especially, changes in the oral pain and discomfort dimension score was associated with depressive symptoms. A decline in oral physical function, such as difficulty in chewing and speaking, was also associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Negative change in OHRQoL is a risk factor for depression in elderly. This results suggest the importance of maintaining good oral health in later life, as a protective factor against depression.

Oral Health-Related Quality of Life from Young Adulthood to Mid-Life.

Quality of life varies with time, often worsening, and is affected by circumstances, events, and exposures at different stages of life. Little is known about how oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) changes during middle age. We investigated OHRQoL changes from age 32 to 45 years among participants in a population-based birth cohort, along with clinical and socio-behavioural associations. Generalised estimating equation models were used to investigate the association between OHRQoL (assessed at ages 32, 38, and 45 years; n = 844), and the socioeconomic position in childhood (up to age 15 years) and adulthood (ages 26 through to 45 years), dental self-care (dental services utilisation and tooth brushing), oral conditions (such as tooth loss), and experiencing a dry mouth. The multivariable analyses were controlled for sex and personality traits. At each stage of life, those of a lower socioeconomic status were at greater risk of experiencing OHRQoL impacts. Those who engaged in favourable dental self-care habits (the regular use of dental services and at least twice daily tooth brushing) experienced fewer impacts. A social disadvantage at any stage of life has enduring deleterious effects on one's quality of life in middle age. Ensuring access to timely and appropriate dental health services in adulthood may reduce the impacts of oral conditions on one's quality of life.

Minimally important differences in oral health-related quality of life after fixed orthodontic treatment: a prospective cohort study.

The minimally important difference (MID, the smallest difference that patients perceive as beneficial) has been proposed to assess whether study results are clinically meaningful, reducing the shortcoming of P-values-based approaches in the assessment of clinical outcomes. The post-treatment changes and the MID in Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) among adults undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment were investigated. Ninety-two patients (29.1 ± 6.3 years old, 18 males and 74 females) were prospectively included. Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and United Kingdom Oral Health-related Quality of Life (OHQoL-UK) were used to assess OHRQoL at baseline and post-treatment (50.8 ± 15.7 months). Global Transition Rating (GTR) was used to assess oral health/well-being, Peer Assessment Review (PAR), and Index of Complexity, Outcome and Need (ICON) were used to assess occlusion. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to assess changes in OHRQoL and occlusion, Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to assess associations between OHRQoL and oral health/well-being or occlusion. MID for OHIP-14 and OHQoL-UK was estimated via anchor-based (PAR, ICON, GTR) and distribution-based approach (effect size, standardized response mean, standard error of measurement). The median OHIP-14 and OHQoL-UK post-treatment scores were significantly changed, indicating improved OHRQoL. Based on the agreement between different methods, the MID of OHIP-14 and OHQoL-UK were at least 15 and 6 scale points, corresponding to a large effect size (1.5-1.7). Orthodontic treatment had a positive long-term impact on OHRQoL. MID for the OHIP-14 and OHQoL-UK provide guidance to interpreting the impact of orthodontic treatment on the OHRQoL of patients.

Impact of bone-anchored maxillary protraction on the quality of life of subjects with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of bone-anchored maxillary protraction (BAMP) on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) in subjects with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and moderate-to-severe maxillary deficiency. A longitudinal observational study was conducted with a sample of 20 patients (13 males, 7 females) aged 10-14 years (mean age, 11.8 years) with Goslon 3, 4, and 5. To assess the patient's perception of their OHRQOL, the Quality of Life Questionnaire for Orthosurgical Patients was administered in 2 stages: after the installation of the protraction plates (T1) and 18 months after the protraction therapy started (T2). The questionnaire was composed of 4 domains, distributed over 22 questions: social aspects, facial esthetics, oral function, and awareness of facial deformity. The treatment protocol improved the OHRQOL in 75% of the patients who presented UCLP. The domain social aspects of the deformity were the only one that showed a significant difference from T1 to T2 and indicated an improvement in self-esteem. The girls had worse OHRQOL than boys at T1, which was statistically significant only for the domains of social aspects of deformity and awareness of deformity. After BAMP therapy, the effect size indicated a larger change in OHRQOL in girls than in boys. BAMP therapy positively impacted the OHRQOL and self-esteem of patients with UCLP during adolescence.

Outreach dental care program for older adults using residential care or day care services in Hong Kong: A cohort study.

To evaluate the effects of an outreach dental care program (ODCP) on the oral health status and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of older adults who used residential or day care services in Hong Kong. Older adults who had received dental treatments provided in the ODCP were recruited. Clinical examinations were performed by one calibrated examiner (SXY) at baseline and 1-year follow-up in the residential homes or day care centres. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using the transition scale of the Oral Health Impacts on Daily Living (OHIDL) questionnaire to investigate the perceived change in OHRQoL at baseline, 2-month and 1-year follow-ups. The Wilcoxon matched-pair signed-rank test or McNemar/McNemar-Bowker test was used to explore the change in oral health status after dental treatments. Factors associated with the perceived change in OHRQoL were explored with binary logistic regression. Four hundred and thirteen older adults (mean age=83.8 years) participated in the study at baseline, and 377 (91.3%) and 359 (86.9%) were successfully followed 2 months and 1 year after receiving the outreach dental service, respectively. At the 1-year follow-up, the number of decayed teeth and functional tooth units, and the prevalence of poor denture hygiene decreased while there was more dental plaque deposition and a higher proportion of participants with gingival bleeding upon probing. More than 50% of the participants perceived no change or an improvement in OHRQoL in all domains at both follow-ups. Older adults who perceived their oral health status as 'healthy or fair' and those who suffered from toothache at baseline had a higher chance to perceive having a better or at least the same OHRQoL at the 2-month and 1-year follow-ups, respectively. The ODCP in Hong Kong can solve some of the dental problems of older adults using long-term care services and keep most of them from deterioration in OHRQoL, especially those suffering from toothache.

Responsiveness of the B-ECOHIS to detect changes in OHRQoL following dental treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder.

The Brazilian Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS) is an oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) questionnaire. This paper aims to investigate the responsiveness of the B-ECOHIS to dental treatment in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and determine if dental treatment has an impact on OHRQoL. The survey targeted 27 ASD individuals aged 4 to 14 years attending the Acolher Project of the University Federal Fluminense. This project provides children and adolescents with disabilities with oral health services. A group of randomly selected caregivers self-completed the B-ECOHIS before and 14 days after their children's dental treatment. The dental treatment included meticulous screening, preventive treatment, and restorative treatment. Responsiveness was assessed by investigating the effect size (ES) and standardized response mean (SRM). Wilcoxon test was used to evaluate internal responsiveness (distribution-based approach). The B-ECOHIS showed significant changes in the total score (p<0.001) and in all domains. The ES of the total B-ECOHIS after treatment was 1.28 and ranged between 0.70 and 1.14 for the domains. The SRM for each of the domains was large, except for the symptom domain. The B-ECOHIS is sensitive and responsive to ASD individuals undergoing dental treatment. Individuals with ASD showed improvement in their OHRQoL score after dental treatment.

Quality of Life Before and After Orthodontic Treatment in Adult Patients with Malocclusion: A Quasi-experimental Study

Introduction: In adult patients seeking orthodontic treatment, some common reasons include unesthetic appearance and functional impairment such as difficulty in speaking or breathing. Thus, malocclusion and orthodontic care have become a Quality of Life (QoL) issue. Aim: To investigate the oral health-related quality of life in adults before and after orthodontic treatment. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in Faculty of Dental Sciences, M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore, India over a 2 year period from December 2014 to October 2016. Finally, 34 patients were included in the study. Longitudinal data which included OHRQoL(Oral Health-Related Quality of Life) and study casts for assessing the outcome by the Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index was collected from two periods: (i) pretreatment data (T1), and (ii) post-treatment data (T2) collected 1 month after fixed orthodontic appliance debonding. Pretreatment and post-treatment Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and PAR scores were compared using Paired t-test. Correlations between occlusal indices (PAR) and OHRQoL (OHIP-14) were determined by Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Results: Total of 42 patients were included in the study, out of which 34 patients responded to the questionnaire in which 11 were males and 23 females in the age range 18-30 years. From pre to postorthodontic treatment mean OHIP-14 summary score had significantly improved (score reduced) from 30.3 to 16.0. Similarly, mean PAR scores had reduced from 17.62 to 3.44. Significant correlation (p-value&lt;0.05) existed between improvement in OHRQoL scores and improvement in occlusion after orthodontic treatment. Conclusion: The present study concluded that there was an improvement in oral health following fixed orthodontic treatments which were associated with changes in OHRQoL, PAR scores and changes in occlusion.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Quality of Life of Type II Diabetes Patients With Periodontitis.

Background: Confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic has made dental treatments impossible in Chile and many other countries, including diabetic patients with periodontitis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of periodontal therapy in terms of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) during the COVID-19 pandemic in a cohort of diabetic patients with periodontitis.Material and Methods: Thirty-eight diabetic patients with stage III-IV periodontitis, enrolled for periodontal therapy, were screened. Periodontal clinical parameters including clinical attachment loss (CAL), probing pocket depth (PPD) and bleeding on probing (BOP) as well as glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were evaluated at baseline and 3 months follow-up prior the pandemic. The OHRQoL changes by means of Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and a self-reported oral health questionnaire were assessed at baseline (prior pandemic) and during the pandemic via telemonitoring.Results: Thirty-one patients received non-surgical periodontal therapy prior to the pandemic. Out of the 31 patients, four died due to COVID-19 resulting in 27 patients available for telemonitoring at the time of the pandemic. Periodontal therapy significantly improved CAL, PPD and BOP (p < 0.05) but not HbA1c (p > 0.05) between baseline and 3 months follow-up pior to the pandemic. Total OHIP-14 scores significantly improved between baseline and the middle of pandemic (intragroup comparison p = 0.00411). In particular, OHIP-14 scores related to the “Physical pain” (intragroup comparison p = 0.04) and “Psychological disability” (intragroup comparison p = 0.00) significantly improved between baseline and the middle of pandemic.Conclusions: In diabetic type II patients with periodontitis periodontal therapy tends to improve the oral health-related quality of life despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

The use of Oral Health Impact on Daily Living (OHIDL) transition scale in measuring the change in oral health-related quality of life among older adults

BackgroundThis longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal validity and reliability of the Oral Health Impact on Daily Living (OHIDL) transition scale and measure the perceived change in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) after dental treatments among older adults.MethodsOHIDL was administered to older adults who sought dental treatments. Participants were asked to assess changes in impact for each OHIDL item retrospectively compared with that before the treatment. The responsiveness, minimal clinically important difference (MCID), internal consistency and test–retest reliability of the OHIDL transition scale were evaluated. Multiple linear regression was employed to predict the change in oral health impacts after dental treatment. Beta coefficients (β) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported.ResultsOne hundred and seventy-six participants were followed-up with upon completing their dental treatments. The follow-up rate was 70.4% (176/250). The OHIDL transition score strongly correlated with the global rating of change (rs = 0.76, P < 0.01). MCID was determined by participants who reported “a little improved” in the perceived oral health impacts, and their mean transition score was 3.3. Cronbach’s alpha of the transition scale was 0.87, and many items had a test–retest correlation of at least 0.60. Patients who perceived more oral health impacts at baseline as measured by the total intensity score (β = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.44, P < 0.001) and those who had received endodontic treatment (β = 8.04, 95% CI: 4.36, 11.71, P < 0.001) would have more improvement in perceived oral health impacts.ConclusionsThe OHIDL transition scale has good psychometric properties and is sensitive to change over time. After receiving dental treatment, most of the study’s older adults perceived a lower intensity of OHIDL.Clinical relevanceThe OHIDL transition scale is a valid and reliable instrument to measure the change in OHRQoL after dental treatments.

Comparison of two minimally invasive restorative techniques in improving the oral health-related quality of life of pregnant women: a six months randomized controlled trial

BackgroundWomen tend to delay dental treatment due to misconceptions regarding the safety of dental procedures during pregnancy which may negatively affect their quality of life. Minimally invasive restorative techniques offer alternatives for caries treatment and can improve their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) during this stage.MethodsA randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in 2019 and included 162 pregnant women visiting public family health centers in Alexandria, Egypt, with mild to moderate dental pain due to caries. Participants were randomly assigned into Papacarie-Duo group (n = 82) and ART group (n = 80). The outcome variable was percent change in OHRQoL (oral health impact profile, OHIP-14) after 6 months. T test/Mann Whitney U test were used to compare groups and a multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the factors affecting the outcome variable.ResultsA significant reduction (P < 0.002) was noted in OHIP-14 between baseline and 6 months indicating improvement in OHRQoL in the Papacarie-Duo and ART groups (16.26% and 18.91%, P = 0.120 in bivariate analysis). Multiple linear regression revealed significantly greater reduction in OHIP-14 scores in the Papacarie-Duo than the ART group (regression coefficient = 4.03, 95% confidence interval: 0.652, 7.409, P = 0.020).ConclusionMinimally invasive restorative techniques, such as ART and chemo-mechanical caries removal using Papacarie- Duo can improve the OHRQoL of pregnant women suffering from mild to moderate pain due to dental caries. Significantly more improvement was noted in the Papacarie-Duo group after adjusting all other variables.Trial registration ID NCT04619264 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/); November 6 2020, retrospective registration. (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04619264?term=NCT04619264&draw=2&rank=1)

Six-year follow-up assessment of prosthesis survival and oral health-related quality of life in individuals with partial edentulism treated with three types of prosthodontic rehabilitation.

Purpose The purpose of the study was to compare the long-term performance of three prostheses for partial edentulism: implant-supported, fixed denture (IFD), fixed partial denture (FPD), and removable partial denture (RPD), in terms of prosthesis survival and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).Methods The 138 patients in our previous study (Kimura et al., 2012) received one of the three prosthetic treatments and answered a validated OHRQoL questionnaire before and immediately after treatment. In the present study, the patients were followed up six years after treatment using medical records and OHRQoL examinations to evaluate prosthesis survival and change in OHRQoL. The cumulative survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier analysis. The Steel-Dwass test was used to compare the median OHRQoL scores at the three time points.Results For the 105 patients (66.8 ± 10.8 years, IFD/FPD/RPD: 58/27/20 patients) who successfully completed the follow-up assessments, the six-year estimated cumulative survival rates of the IFDs, FPDs, and RPDs were 94.7%, 77.4%, and 33.3%, respectively. The log-rank tests indicated that the survival curves were significantly different (IFDs vs. FPDs: p = 0.01; RPDs vs. IFDs, FPDs: p < 0.01). The median OHRQoL scores of the IFD group immediately after treatment and six years after treatment were significantly higher than those observed before treatment (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the median OHRQoL scores among the three time points in the RPD or FPD groups.Conclusions IFDs showed significantly longer survival rates than FPDs and RPDs in partially edentulous patients. Only in the IFD patients was the OHRQoL level six years after treatment significantly higher than that before treatment.

Changes in preschool children's oral health-related quality of life following restorative dental general anaesthesia.

Background Early childhood caries is the most common childhood disease in preschool children which often requires dental treatment under restorative dental general anaesthesia (RDGA).Aim To assess the effect of RDGA on preschool children and their families' oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).Methods A cross-sectional study using a RDGA pre- and post-operative survey to evaluate changes in OHRQoL. Parents completed the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) survey before and after their children underwent specialist paediatric RDGA in the United Arab Emirates from 1 March 2017 to 28 February 2018. The ECOHIS and its effect size (ES) served to evaluate children's OHRQoL status and changes, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank and the Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for statistical analyses.Results The mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) of the children (N = 173, mean age 4.6 years) before the treatment was very high (13.8 ± 3.07). Children's pain and eating problems, and parents feeling upset and guilty, were the most frequently reported impacts at baseline. The ECOHIS scores decreased significantly (p <0.001) after RDGA, revealing a large ES for the child (2.19) and family (2.79) sections of the ECOHIS.Conclusions Preschool children's RDGA resulted in significant improvement in all child and family physical, psychological and social aspects of OHRQoL.

Evaluation of changes in oral health-related quality of life over time in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome

Objectives To assess oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and changes in OHRQoL in 3 years of patients with Sjögren’s symdrome (SS). Methods Thirty-five SS patients and 23 non-SS individuals were enrolled. OHRQoL were quantitatively evaluated using the shortened Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). After 3 years, 22 patients and 14 controls tool the OHIP-14 survey again. Results The SS group had a significantly higher OHIP-14 score, which indicated a lower OHRQoL, than the non-SS group. Among individual questions in the OHIP-14, scores for ‘trouble pronouncing words’, ‘uncomfortable to eat foods’, ‘self-conscious’, and ‘diet unsatisfactory’ were markedly higher in the SS group than in the non-SS group. The OHIP-14 score significantly increased in 3 years in the SS group. Furthermore, there was an inverse correlation between the change rate of salivary flow rate and change of OHIP-14 scores in 3 years in patients with SS whose OHIP-14 score increased. Scores for ‘irritable with other people’, ‘difficulty doing usual jobs’, ‘felt life less satisfying’, and ‘unable to function’ significantly increased in 3 years. Conclusion In SS, OHRQoL decreased in 3 years, which was associated with a decrease in saliva secretion. Moreover, troubles related to psychosocial aspects in SS patients were found to intensify over time.