Impact of Periodontal Conditions on Oral Health-related Quality of Life among Adults in Riyadh City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Ab s t r Ac t Introduction: Oral health is an essential and integral part of general health and it contributes to overall health-related quality of life (QoL). Measuring oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is important to obtain comprehensive data for oral health promotion programs as well as effective allocation of health resources. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of periodontal conditions on OHRQoL measured by using Arabic version of general oral health assessment index (GOHAI-Ar) among adult patients seeking dental care in university dental clinics in Riyadh city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a convenient sample of 200 dental patients (male = 140, female = 60) attending University Dental Clinics in Riyadh city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Patient’s socioeconomic status, smoking, toothbrushing, and flossing habits were recorded. Periodontal parameters such as plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were recorded. The impact of periodontal conditions on OHRQoL was assessed using GOHAI-Ar questionnaire. Results: An overall mean GOHAI-Ar score of 27.33 ± 6.81 was observed among the study participants. Patients with gingivitis and periodontitis demonstrated mean GOHAI-Ar scores of 27.33 ± 6.81 and 27.55 ± 6.77. Arabic version of general oral health assessment index showed statistically significant differences in different age groups (p = 0.001). Married patients (27.89 ± 6.55) showed significantly higher GOHAI-Ar score compared to the unmarried (25.54 ± 7.36, p = 0.041). Patient’s with regular brushing habits (28.95 ± 7.33) compared to irregular toothbrushing (26.64 ± 6.48) showed significantly higher GOHAI-Ar (p = 0.020). Similarly, subjects performing dental flossing (32.27 ± 6.6) showed significantly higher GOHAI-Ar scores compared to those who did not perform (26.72 ± 6.60) (p = 0.000). Conclusion: Adverse periodontal conditions can result in poor OHRQoL in patients seeking dental care in university clinics. Age, marital status, toothbrushing, and flossing habits were significantly associated with the OHRQoL in periodontally affected patients.