Periodontal Status and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among Postmenopausal Women Visiting Tertiary Government Hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the periodontal status and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among postmenopausal women attending a tertiary government hospital. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 266 postmenopausal women visiting a tertiary government hospital. Demographic data, such as age, education level, marital status, hormonal fluctuations, parity, frequency of tooth brushing, and history of recent dental visits were collected. Participants' OHRQoL was assessed using the oral health impact profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire, and their periodontal status was evaluated using the World Health Organization oral health assessment form for adults. RESULTS: The total mean OHIP-14 score among participants was 26.9 ± 8.48, with the majority (57.1%) reporting poor OHRQoL. Further, they had a significantly higher mean number of teeth with pockets and loss of attachment (P = 0.001). Moreover, the number of teeth with bleeding showed significant negative correlations with the overall OHIP-14 score (r = -0.11, P = 0.05), functional limitation (r = -0.14, P = 0.01), psychological discomfort (r = -0.21, P = 0.004), and psychological disability (r = -0.13, P = 0.02). Overall, OHIP-14 and all its categories demonstrated statistically significant, but, weak positive correlations with the number of teeth with pockets and loss of attachment (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The mean numbers of teeth with bleeding, as well as teeth with pockets and loss of attachment are significantly associated with OHRQoL in postmenopausal women.