Oral health impact on quality of life in an adult Swedish population

• Objectives. Oral health has a major impact on general quality of life. The aspects of oral health that are most important for each individual vary, and quality of life is a construct and not a measurable variable. The aim of this study was to describe the impact of oral health on quality of life in an adult Swedish population. Material and methods. The study comprised a stratified random sample of 519 individuals. The OHIP-14 questionnaire was used and the answers were rated on a scale of 0-4. Results. Twenty-one percent of the respondents stated that they had no oral problems related to well-being, and 79% had some form of problem related to quality of life. The mean value for the entire population was 6.4 (SD = 7.1); 5.9 (SD = 7.1) for men and 6.8 (SD = 7.2) for women. Of individuals who stated that they had oral problems, the majority were women aged 20 years. Nineteen percent of 30-year-old men and 53% of 70-year-old women stated that they had had problems that had made life less satisfactory. Individuals who frequently experienced problems related to oral health, with scores of 16-41 points, accounted for 10%. Conclusion. In this Swedish population, a number of individuals, young and old, experienced oral problems that had an impact on their well-being.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Odontologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Dentistry (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Epidemiology

OHIP-14

oral health-related quality of life

NATURAL SCIENCES

NATURVETENSKAP

ODONTOLOGY

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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