Impact of Orofacial Clefts on Oral Health Quality of Life: A Cross-sectional Survey Study in Saudi Arabia

Aim: To evaluate the effect of facial clefts on the dental health quality of life of affected individuals, and to determine whether age and gender affect the oral health quality of life differently. Materials and methods: The cross-sectional survey included 50 participants (32 females and 18 males) from the northern region of Saudi Arabia, using a reliable and validated questionnaire, the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP), which measured self-reported oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in children and adults using a five-point Likert scale. Statistical analysis was performed, and results were considered significant if the p -value was less than 0.05. Results: The highest scores in the oral health domain were related to bad breath and reluctance in speaking or reading aloud in class within the school environment domain, with mean scores of 3.44 ± 1.3 and 3.52 ± 1.2, respectively. Most patients showed apprehension regarding necessary dental treatments (mean = 1.44 ± 0.07). The study found a non-statistically significant difference in tooth discomfort between age groups ( p = 0.092), with individuals aged from 20 to 29 experiencing higher levels of discomfort than other age groups surveyed. Conclusion: The two topics with the highest mean scores in the oral health domain and the school environment domain were bad breath and not wanting to speak or read aloud in class. Females reported more discomfort, and there was a substantial association between gender and tooth pain/sensitivity. Clinical significance: Understanding the difficulties cleft patients face is crucial, as doing so will enable dentists to encourage and handle these issues more effectively.