The impacts of oral health on quality of life in working adults

This study investigated the impacts of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) on daily activities and work productivity in adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a supermarket chain in the state of São Paulo, which included 386 workers, age-range 20 – 64 years. Participants were examined for oral disease following WHO recommendations, and the oral health impact profile (OHIP) assessment was used to determine OHRQoL. Demographic, socio-economic, use of dental services, and OHRQoL data were obtained. Answers to the OHIP were dichotomized into no impact and some impact, and the relationship to OHRQoL was determined. Poisson regression with robust variance was performed using SPSS version 17.0. Dimensions with highest OHIP scores were physical pain and psychological discomfort. Sex (male: PR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.38 – 0.80), lower family income (PR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.04 – 2.12), visiting a dentist due to pain (PR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.57 – 3.43), tooth loss (PR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.09 – 2.32), and needing treatment for caries (PR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.09 – 2.32) were most likely to impact OHRQoL. Therefore, socioeconomic and demographic status and use of dental services impacted OHRQoL. These results indicate that oral health promotion strategies should be included in work environments.

本研究探讨了口腔健康相关生活质量（oral health-related quality of life, OHRQoL）对成年人日常活动与工作生产力的影响。研究在圣保罗州某连锁超市开展一项横断面研究，共纳入386名年龄介于20至64岁的工作人员。研究人员依照世界卫生组织（WHO）的推荐标准对参与者开展口腔疾病检查，并采用口腔健康影响量表（oral health impact profile, OHIP）评估口腔健康相关生活质量。研究收集了参与者的人口学特征、社会经济状况、牙科服务使用情况以及口腔健康相关生活质量相关数据。将OHIP问卷的应答结果二分类为无影响与存在影响，进而分析其与口腔健康相关生活质量的关联。采用SPSS 17.0软件实施稳健方差泊松回归分析。结果显示，OHIP得分最高的维度为躯体疼痛与心理不适。其中，性别（男性：患病率比PR=0.55，95%置信区间CI=0.38~0.80）、家庭低收入（PR=1.49，95%CI=1.04~2.12）、因疼痛就诊牙医（PR=2.14，95%CI=1.57~3.43）、牙齿缺失（PR=1.59，95%CI=1.09~2.32）以及需要龋病治疗（PR=1.59，95%CI=1.09~2.32）为最易影响口腔健康相关生活质量的因素。综上，社会人口学与经济状况以及牙科服务使用情况均会对口腔健康相关生活质量产生影响。本研究结果提示，应将口腔健康促进策略纳入工作场所环境中。