Oral Health Related to Quality of Life among the Elderly Population after Prosthesis of the Royal Denture Program

Abstract

Oral Health Related to Quality of Life among the Elderly Population after Prosthesis of the Royal Denture Program

Duangporn Sirithepmontree DDS, Grad Dip (Prosthodontic)

Health Center 6, Health Department, BMA

Objective: To assess the oral related impacts on the quality of life and factors associated with the quality of life in the elderly population after attending the Royal Prosthesis Denture Program. The quality of life between those who had and had not a revisit were also compared.

Study design: Descriptive study.

Subjects: A total of 104 participants attending the Royal Prosthesis Denture Program Celebrating the Auspicious Occasion of His Majesty the King's 80^th Birthday Anniversary carried by the 2^nd Dental Service Subdivision, Health Department, BMA.

Methods: Quality of life was assessed by an interview for the OIDP index (Oral Impacts on Daily Performance) in 104 participants. Seventy eight participants (75 percents), who had revisited at the clinic were directly interviewed, whereas the remaining 26 (25 percents), who failed to do so, were interviewed via telephone.

Main outcome measures: The OIDP index was calculated by frequency and severity of oral disorders impacts effecting on 8 daily routine activities. Values of the OIDP index range from 0 - 100.

Results: Age of the participants ranged from 60 to 88 years. The quality of life in the majority of the participants (79.4%) having the Royal dental prosthesis was in good to very good level (OIDP index < 0.6). Almost 70% of the participants had no oral problem (OIDP = 0), with a very good quality of life, while the remainings had at least one difficulty. Two most common difficulties were eating (29.8%) and speaking (18.3%). The poor prognostic factors significantly affected the quality of life were younger age (p-value = 0.030), low income (p-value = 0.029), and the residual teeth (not complete denture; p-value = 0.003). Patients who had a revisit tended to have lower quality of life but without statistical significance (p-value = 0.067).

Conclusion: Quality of life related to oral health in the elderly after wearing the Royal dental prosthesis were generally in high to very high level. Oral impacts that had an effect on quality of life in these elderly were relatively common but not severe. These impacts were associated with age, personal incomes and dental status.

Vajira Med J 2008 ; 52 : 39 - 47