The assessment of the relationship between oral
health and quality of life (OHRQOL) is crucial to planning oral health
care programs but there is paucity in research on such relationship
among people with poor oral health.
Objectives: To assess the OHRQOL among older diabetic people
from inland Northern Portugal.
A cross-sectional study was carried out among
250 type-2 diabetic individuals aged 65 years or more; 54% being
female. Data collection included clinical examinations and
structured interviews. The OHRQOL was assessed by using the
OHIP-14 questionnaire (scale ranged from 0 to 56; higher scores
indicating poorer OHRQOL). Multiple linear regression analyses
were conducted separately by gender, using OHIP-14 score as
dependent variable and oral health parameters (dry mouth,
gengival bleeding, periodontal pockets, number of natural
anterior and posterior teeth and prosthodontic rehabilitation)
as explanatory variables. Multiple standardized regression
coefficients (b) were obtained for variables that kept in the model
through a stepwise procedure.
Clinical examination revealed that women had poorer
oral health than men. OHIP-14 score was significantly higher
among women than among men (28.3 ± 13.30 vs 20.8 ± 12.28;
p = < 0.001) Multiple regression analysis in male group showed
that number of natural posterior teeth (β = -0.428; p < 0.001)
and dry mouth (β = 0.225; p = 0.020) had significant association
with OHIP-14 score. In female group there were no oral factors
significantly associated with such score.
Conclusions: The OHRQOL showed a different pattern by gender.
Among men the number of natural posterior teeth had impact on
OHRQOL, highligthing the importance of strategies in perserving
natural teeth throughout lifetime
