Oral Health-Related Quality of Life after Dental Treatment among Disabled and Non Disabled Individuals in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: The quality of life based on oral health has been a vital factor affecting health outcomes. It is an overall factor that influences functional well-being, as disabled individuals may have predisposing factors that could impact their quality of life. Aim: To assess Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHrQoL) in disabled and non-disabled individuals after receiving dental treatment in the Al-Baha region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 2023. A total of 86 disabled and 129 non-disabled participants underwent clinical examinations, and dental treatments were performed. The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) was utilised to evaluate OHrQoL using a validated Arabic version of the questionnaire. Data related to all variables in OHIP-14 were analysed in association with oral diseases using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Software version 20.0. Results: A total of 215 patients with and without disabilities were included in the study. Among these, 124 (57.5%) were females and 91 (42.3%) were males. Females reported significantly higher OHrQoL scores than males after dental therapy (p-value<0.001). No significant differences in OHrQoL were observed between patients with and without disabilities (p-value 0.389). However, quality of life significantly improved after dental treatment in disabled and non-disabled individuals across all sections or domains (p-value<0.05). Conclusion: Oral disorders had a negative impact on quality of life, as post-treatment OHrQoL scores were significantly lower than pre-treatment scores.

Keywords

• dental care
• dental public health
• dental service
• disability
• oral health