Oral-Health-Related Quality of Life in Adult Patients with Rheumatic Diseases—A Systematic Review

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to assess the oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of adult patients with rheumatic diseases. Material and Methods: A systematic literature search was performed, including clinical studies on adults (aged at least 18 years) with a verified diagnosis of rheumatic disease. Results: 26 out of 41 clinical studies including rheumatoid arthritis (RA, seven studies), systemic sclerosis (SSc, five), Sjögren syndrome (SS, eight), Behcet disease (BD, four), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, one) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS, one) were found. In 15 studies, a healthy control group was recruited. The short form of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP 14) was most frequently applied. The majority of studies (14/15) reported worse OHRQoL in patients with rheumatic disease compared to healthy individuals. In particular, patients with SS (salivary flow and composition) or BD (oral ulcers) showed a relation between OHRQoL and disease-specific oral manifestations. Most studies investigating subscales of OHRQoL (5/6) found the subscale physical disability to be predominantly affected in patients with rheumatic diseases. About half of the studies reported impaired psychosocial aspects. Conclusion: Patients with rheumatic diseases exhibit reduced OHRQoL, especially in diseases with oral manifestations like SS and BD. Physical affections due to oral diseases and psychosocial impairments caused by disease-related parameters must be recognized within patient-centered dental care.