Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among Elderly People with Edentulous Jaws in Hafar Al-Batin Region, Saudi Arabia

Denture care and oral health-related quality of life among complete denture wearers in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to evaluate denture care and hygiene and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among complete denture (CD) wearers in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

METHODOLOGY

This cross-sectional study was conducted on CD wearers in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. A pre-tested questionnaire was administered among study participants. Questionnaire was divided in three sections: (1) patients' demographic data, (2) awareness and maintenance of CD and (3) OHRQoL. Independent sample t-test and one-way ANOVA test were performed.

RESULTS

The study included data of 300 participants with 71% of males and 28% of females. Majority of participants (82.7%) cleaned CD daily, removed CD while sleeping (88.0%) and knew that unhygienic dentures can cause oral infection (92.7%). Only 19.3% used denture cleansing tables, 41% used toothpaste, and 60.7% rinsed CD with water. Regarding OHIP-DENT domains, highest score was for functional limitation domain (2.20 ± 1.67) and the lowest for handicap domain (0.94 ± 1.09). The mean OHIP-DENT score of the sample was 12.02 ± 8.52. Females (p = 0.006), participants below 65 years of age (p = 0.029), non-Saudis (p = 0.042), those with university education (p = 0.030) and low monthly income (p = 0.045) and participants who visited dentist due to problem with CD (p = 0.041) demonstrated significantly higher mean OHIP-DENT score.

CONCLUSION

Majority of participants demonstrated appropriate denture care behaviours because they were aware of the importance of denture care and hygiene. Female gender, age below 65 years, non-Saudi nationality, university education, low monthly income and visiting dentist due to problem were related to poor OHRQoL.

Assessment of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life and Its Associated Factors among the Young Adults of Saudi Arabia: A Multicenter Study

Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is an essential indicator of people's overall health and health-related quality of life. Poor oral health and OHRQoL among young adults lead to numerous negative consequences and an increased burden on the healthcare system. The present study is aimed at assessing the OHRQoL among the young adults of Saudi Arabia, identifying self-rated oral health, and determining the relationship between sociodemographic and lifestyle factors with the OHRQoL. The present analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1152 health and non-health-related college university students from three randomly selected universities. The OHRQoL was evaluated using the validated Arabic version of the oral health impact profile-14 questionnaire (OHIP-14). Of the population studied, one-fourth of the participants (24.9%) reported poor or fair oral health, and the highest OHIP-14 score was found in the domains of physical pain (4.14), followed by psychological discomfort (4.07). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the poor oral health category was significantly associated with male gender (ref: female: adjusted OR (AOR) = 1.89, 95%CI = 1.23–2.94, p = 0.004), daily smokers (ref: nonsmokers: AOR = 3.47, 95%CI = 1.97–4.82, p < 0.001), chocolate and candies intake more than once a day (ref: never; AOR = 1.54, 95%CI = 1.10–2.19, p = 0.034), and did not seek periodical dental care (ref: periodic dental care received: AOR = 2.23, 95%CI = 1.53‐2.86, p = 0.002). The present study revealed the factors associated with poor OHRQoL. The concerned authorities should consider the implementation of periodic dental checkups for university students, especially for the high-risk group. Furthermore, it is recommended to have regular health education programs that will help to change the student's lifestyle and poor oral health behaviors.

Impact of Oral Diseases and Conditions on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life: A Narrative Review of Studies Conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is a novel concept that has evolved over the past two decades. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also recognized it as a significant part of the Global Oral Health Program (2003). Information on OHRQoL gives better understanding about feelings and perceptions on an individual level. It also helps us to understand the impact of oral health on the lives on the patients and their family. It is now well documented that oral diseases and conditions impact people’s life. Some of the oral diseases/conditions like caries, dental fluorosis, tooth loss, periodontal disease, dental injuries, oral cancer, dental anomalies, craniofacial disorders, and many more have got negative impact on QoL. This paper identifies the various literatures published on the impact of oral diseases and conditions on OHRQoL in the population of Saudi Arabia. Although numerous researches can be found in other countries, the data on Saudi Arabian population are limited, leading to the need for carrying out more research in this area.

A simulation model used in teaching denture border adjustment: Randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

The goal was to propose a new simulation model as a training tool in complete denture (CD) flange adjustment and to evaluate if the model can improve student competencies in different learning domains.

METHODS

Fourth-year undergraduate dental students (n = 100) were equally divided into control and test groups. Both groups received didactic instructions for CD post-insertion procedures, but the test group had additional simulation training using modified working casts. Both groups then performed CD flange adjustment on real patients, and their skills were evaluated using a specific checklist. The data were assessed by independent samples t-test and a chi-square test at α = 0.05.

RESULTS

The students in the test group showed significantly better overall performance (57.94%) compared with the control group (30.14%) in clinical post-insertion CD flange adjustment procedures (p < 0.001). However, the psychomotor skills of the male students in the test group were not significantly influenced (p = 0.268). Considering the competencies for different tasks, more students that were competent were present in the test group compared to those in the control group regarding most of the knowledge (p ≤ 0.012) and all of the cognitive skill tasks (p ≤ 0.021). More students were competent for half of the psychomotor skill tasks (p ≤ 0.027). However, when considering gender, the number of competent male students was significantly greater in the test group only for one of the psychomotor tasks.

CONCLUSION

The simulation model significantly improved the overall clinical skills of the students, allowing them to learn the common CD post-insertion maintenance procedures before performing the procedure clinically.

The Influence of Oral Health Factors on the Quality of Life in Older People: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The number of people aged 65 years or older is growing substantially. As a result of increased health burden and tooth retention, more oral health problems are expected in this age group. A poor oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) can compromise a person's psychological state, social relationships, personal beliefs, and physical health. The aim of this systematic review was to identify oral health factors associated with OHQoL in people aged 65 years or older and to give a comprehensive overview of the body of literature for each oral health factor separately.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A comprehensive search was performed in five databases. The following terms were used as index terms or free-text words: "Oral Health," "Quality of Life," "Older People." Two researchers independently assessed studies for eligibility based on predefined criteria.

RESULTS

Of 3,702 references retrieved from the databases, 68 studies were eligible and included (9 randomized clinical trials, 6 cohort studies, and 53 cross-sectional studies). All results were reported descriptively. OHQoL in people aged 65 years or older is positively associated with higher number of teeth, higher number of occluding pairs, implant-retained overdentures, and the shortened dental arch concept and negatively associated with xerostomia, orofacial pain, and poor chewing ability. In the current literature, there is no consensus on the association between edentulism, caries, and periodontal conditions and OHQoL.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Having a functional dentition (either natural or prosthetic) is important for a good OHQoL, whereas painful or functional complaints are associated with impaired OHQoL.

Predoctoral dental implant education techniques-students' perception and attitude

PURPOSE

Dental implant (DI) therapy is in high demand and can only be rendered efficiently to graduating dentists by effective teaching methodologies. This study aimed to assess the perceptions and attitudes of dental graduates towards predoctoral DI education techniques and rehabilitation by DI.

METHODS

A total of 26 well-structured questionnaires were distributed to 120 final-year students. Modified advanced teaching methodologies such as e-learning, small-group teaching-problem-based learning (SGT-PBL), and team-based learning were implemented for teaching DI. Its effects were assessed using a questionnaire set: the first section (DI Rehabilitation) with 12 questions and the second (DI teaching methods) with 14 questions. Statistical analysis was done using the Chi-square test, and a P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The response rate was 95.83%. Seventy-five percent of the students recommended DI for patients, and 78% of them agreed to it themselves. On comparing teaching methods for DI, on and before level 12, small-group teaching (PBL) was significantly at a higher proportion (P = 0.002), followed by seminars (P < 0.001). Students preferred small-group teaching PBL (60%), followed by e-learning (15%) and demonstration (10%). Ninety-two percent of the students agreed that DI is an important subject in the "bachelor of dental surgery" (BDS) program, but 78% of them felt that time was insufficient to complete the DI syllabus.

CONCLUSIONS

The modified teaching methodologies used at level 12 for teaching DI enhanced students' interest and knowledge. The SGT-PBL teaching method was the most preferred. It is recommended that dental implantology topics should be started early in the undergraduate curriculum, and the topics should be widely divided throughout BDS.

Relationships of Acculturative Stress, Perceived Stress, and Social Support with Oral Health-related Quality of Life among International Students in Malaysia: A Structural Equation Modelling

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between acculturative stress, perceived stress, social support, and subjective oral health outcomes among international graduate students in Malaysian public universities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 312 international graduate students completed a web-based questionnaire, including measures of acculturative stress (ASSIS-36), perceived stress scale (PSS-4), social support (MSPSS-12), oral health perceptions (global rating item), and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL, OIDP-8). The hypotheses of the conceptual model were tested using structural equation modeling-partial least squares (SEM-PLS) with the support of SmartPLS.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven percent (27.1%) of the variance in OHRQoL was explained by acculturative stress, perceived stress, social support, and oral health perceptions. The path coefficient between oral health perception and OHRQoL was the strongest (β = -0.385, P < 0.001). Acculturative stress directly influenced OHRQoL (β = 0.20, P = 0.009) and indirectly through perceived stress (β = 0.05, P = 0.019). Social support mediated the relationship between perceived stress and OHRQoL (β = 0.046, P = 0.02). The overall predictive power of the model was 23%.

CONCLUSION

Results indicated that acculturative stress, perceived stress, and social support are among the predictors of OHRQoL. Oral health perceptions and acculturative stress were the most significant predictors that contributed the largest amount to the model. The findings emphasize the potential role of psychosocial factors in relation to oral health. The empirical evidence of this study could facilitate the planning of targeted strategies that address stress reduction and social support. Such strategies might be a new promising way to enhance OHRQoL as these elements can be modified and response to interventions.