Relationship between severity of periodontitis and oral health-related quality of life in Korean adults.

Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between periodontitis severity and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among Korean adults.

Methods: This retrospective study included 291 adults aged 20-59. Age, sex, dental visits during the past year, frequency of tooth brushing, number of teeth, and dental caries were designated as confounders, and their information was collected. The severity of periodontitis was dichotomized into no/mild and moderate/severe. OHRQoL was evaluated using the Korean version of the 14-item oral health impact profile (OHIP-14K). Logistic and negative binomial regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) or incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: The prevalence, severity, and extent of oral impact according to total OHIP-14K score were significantly higher in patients with moderate/severe periodontitis than in those with no/mild periodontitis (P < 0.05). The adjusted regression model indicated that age, sex, number of teeth and severity of periodontitis (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.23-3.99) were significantly associated with the prevalence of impacts. Regarding the severity of impacts, sex, dental visits, and severity of periodontitis (IRR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.16-1.79) were significantly associated with OHRQoL. Regarding the extent of impacts, sex, and severity of periodontitis (IRR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.21-2.84) were significantly related to OHRQoL.

Conclusion: The severity of periodontitis is inversely related to the OHRQoL in Korean adults.