Oral Health Related Quality of Life and Dental Status of Adult Patients

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the oral health-related quality of life in adult patients who visit the Dental Clinic of the Faculty of Stomatology, Pancevo, using a Serbian version of 14-items Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP14) Questionnaire. Material and Methods: A total of 89 respondents (42 women and 47 men, mean age 52.83 ± 13.74 years) filled in the questionnaire themselves. Three calibrated dentists recorded the oral health status of the respondents (number of healthy, decayed, filled and missing teeth), the type and time of wearing prosthodontic replacements, if they existed, and assessed the need for prosthodontic treatment. The total OHIP-14 score was calculated by adding scores for all fourteen items; OHIP-14 subscale scores were calculated by adding the scores for the two items in each of the seven subscales. Results: Mean total OHIP score was 10.25 ± 8.89. Patients with less than eight extracted teeth, wearers of fixed prosthodontic appliances and patients without replacements who did not need prosthodontic treatment reported better oral health-related quality of life. The most severe oral impacts assessed by the subscale OHIP14 scores were recorded in psychological discomfort (2.44 ± 2.18), physical pain (1.87 ± 1.73) and psychological disability subscale (1.83 ± 1.88). Women more often than men were dissatisfied with their diet and had been irritable in contact with other people. Conclusion: Further studies using the OHIP14 questionnaire in a larger sample will permit identification of key factors related to poor oral health and planning of treatment protocols and preventive programs for the adult population in Serbia.