| Abstract [eng] |
Relevance and aim of the study. One of the main health issues associated with aging or menopause is bone density loss. Osteoporosis also affects the jawbones, leading to worse oral health and quality of life. Oral health-related quality of life is increasingly mentioned in dentistry-related scientific publications, yet there are very few publications on its relationship with bone mineral density. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the influence of bone mineral density (BMD) on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Methodology. The study included 62 postmenopausal women divided into 3 groups according to BMD determined by dual-energy radioabsorptiometry: normal BMD (N=22); osteopenia (N=20); osteoporosis (N=20). The subjects' data were collected using a two-part questionnaire: 1) age, education, smoking, frequency of brushing teeth per day; 2) the Lithuanian version of the Oral Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (OHIP-14). Data were processed in SPSS 23.0 using Student's t, ANOVA, Tukey HSD Post Hoc tests, Pearson correlation and regression analysis. Results. In the normal BMD group, OHIP-14 scores were significantly lower compared to the osteoporosis group both overall (3.05±3.30 and 14.40±12.66; p<0.001), and in psychological discomfort (0.45±1.10 and 2.40±2.58; p=0.008), physical disability (0.50±0.96 and 1.90±2.10; p=0.04), and handicap (0.27±0.55 and 1.45±2.01; p=0.021) scales. Subjects with normal BMD rated their OHRQoL better than those in the osteopenia and osteoporosis groups in terms of physical pain (1.05±1.17 and 2.30±1.95 and 2.45±1.43; p=0.007) and social disability (0.23±0.43 and 1.30±1.26 and 2.30±2.11; p<0.001) scales. There was no difference in OHRQoL between smoking and non-smoking participants (p=0.330). The frequency of toothbrushing did not influence OHRQoL (p=0.462). OHIP-14 results of patients with university degree were significantly lower than those of participants with college or secondary education (5.49±7.76 and 14.44±11.20 and 15.80±13.94; p=0.002). There was a statistically significant negative correlation between spine and hip BMD values and OHIP-14 questionnaire results (r=-0.342 and r=-0.374; p<0.001). Regression analysis revealed that hip BMD and education were significant predictors of OHIP-14 results (p<0.001) - higher BMD values and higher level of education were associated with lower OHIP-14 scores. Conclusions. Patients with normal BMD rated their OHRQoL better than those with osteoporosis. Patients with university degree rated their OHRQoL better compared to those with college degree or secondary education. Smoking and oral hygiene habits did not influence the OHRQoL. A significant relationship between BMD and OHRQoL was observed – decreasing BMD was associated with deteriorating OHRQoL. Hip BMD and education are important prognostic factors for OHRQoL. |
