Table 4.
Mean Oral Quality of Life Scoresa by Varying Levels of Periodontal Treatment Need Among Participants in the Veterans Health Study and the Dental Longitudinal Study, 1993–1995 (N = 827)
| Variables | CPITN Scoreb | Scale/Item No. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| ||||||
| ≤1 | 1-1.9 | 2-2.9 | 3-3.9 | P value | ||
| Impairment | ||||||
| Past 3 months how much pain and distressc | 16.7 (b) | 15.2 (b) | 23.3 (a,b) | 25.7 (a) | .003 | OHQOL B31 |
| Physical | ||||||
| Have to avoid eating any food | 13.9 (c) | 15.9 (b,c) | 23.4 (b) | 34.1 (a) | <.001 | OHIP 28 |
| Distress | ||||||
| Found difficult to relax with oral problems | 15.6 (a) | 13.8 (a) | 19.9 (a) | 21.6 (a) | .04 | OHIP 35 |
| Feel depressed with oral problems | 17.0 (a) | 13.8 (a) | 21.9 (a) | 21.0 (a) | .019 | OHIP 36 |
| Being upset with oral problems | 18.3 (a) | 14.2 (a) | 19.5 (a) | 21.6 (a) | .124 | OHIP 34 |
| Worry | ||||||
| Uncomfortable about oral appearance | 15.7 (b) | 16.1 (b) | 28.0 (a) | 27.8 (a) | <.001 | OHIP 22 |
| Past 3 months feel nervous or self-conscious — teethc | 8.9 (b) | 10.2 (b) | 20.2 (a) | 23.2 (a) | .001 | GOHAI 10 |
| Worried by dental problems | 23.5 (b,c) | 22.5 (c) | 32.3 (a,b) | 39.2 (a) | <.001 | OHIP 19 |
| Role | ||||||
| Cannot get along with others | 8.3 (a) | 8.4 (a) | 11.2 (a) | 14.8 (a) | .16 | OHIP 41 |
| Avoid going out with oral problems | 7.9 (a,b) | 5.4 (b) | 12.5 (a) | 14.2 (a) | .003 | OHIP 39 |
| Totally unable to function with oral problem | 6.9 (a,b) | 5.1 (b) | 7.8 (a,b) | 11.9 (a) | .07 | OHIP 48 |
| Denture | ||||||
| Have uncomfortable dentures | 8.3 (a) | 5.3 (a) | 12.1 (a) | 12.6 (a) | .02 | OHIP 18 |
| 6-item scale | 12.4 (b) | 10.8 (b) | 18.4 (a) | 21.8 (a) | <.001 | NA |
| 12-item scale | 13.4 (b,c) | 11.8 (c) | 18.9 (a,b) | 21.2 (a) | <.001 | NA |
CPITN indicates Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs; OHIP indicates Oral Health Impact Profile; GOHAI indicates Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Instrument; OHQOL indicates Oral Health Quality of Life; NA indicates not applicable.
Means were obtained from analysis of variance (ANOVA) testing and compared by using Duncan's multiple range test (35). Different letters indicate groups are significantly different from one another at P <.05; if the same letter is present, the groups are not different from one another. Thus, a mean labeled (a,b) is not significantly different from one labeled (b,c) because they both have a 'b' beside them. Higher oral quality of life scores represent poorer quality of life.
CPITN scores are the following: <1, healthy periodontium; 1–1.9, gingival bleeding; 2–2.9, calculus; 3-3.9, moderate-deep periodontal pockets (need root planing).
Scores were reversed so that higher scores indicate poorer oral quality of life.