The Relationship Between Periodontal Disease and Public Health: A Population-Based Study

BACKGROUND: Periodontal diseases, such as periodontitis, are considered the main cause of tooth loss in the elderly. The present study is aimed to determine the relationship between periodontal condition and quality of life. Quality of life consists of a range of people’s objective needs related to the self-perception of well-being. METHODS: This study was done from January 2014 to June 2015 in a healthcare clinic in Zahedan, southeast Iran. Using the random sampling method, the researchers enrolled 700 individuals over 35 years of age. The participants initially completed a demographic questionnaire consisting of data, such as age, sex, educational level, and smoking habit. Then, the periodontal chart was completed. Moreover, patients, based on the number of their natural teeth, were divided into two groups (≥10 teeth in both maxillary and mandible arches and <10 teeth in at least one arch). The body mass index (BMI) was also measured. To assess the participants’ general health, the WHO’s quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) was used. RESULTS: Of the 700 enrolled individuals, 53.3% were womenand 47.7% were men. Moreover, most of the participants (63.71%) had BMI of less than 25 and 68% did not smoke. We found that as the people’s periodontal status deteriorated, their quality of life also declined and the total mean score in all four health domains decreased (P<0.001). Moreover, people with more than 10 teeth in both arches scored higher with respect to life quality than those with less than 10 teeth in at least one arch (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: This studyindicates a decrease in the general quality of life in patients with periodontal disease. The authors suggest performing studies with larger sample sizes andcohort studies for more reliable results.