The impacts of oral health-related quality of life of elderly people living at home: a cross-sectional study

The scope was to verify the impact of oral and sociodemographic conditions, the dental treatment needs and dental pain, on the quality of life of the elderly. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 15 primary health care areas. A backward multivariate linear regression model was used (p<0.05) with oral health related-quality of life as dependent variable. There were 335 elderly people with predominance of women (56.72%) and aged up to 74 years (59.40%). Those who had up to 8 years of education predominated (87.46%), and those who were still working were the minority (13.43%). Multivariate linear regression (p<0.05) showed association with missing teeth (beta=0,12; IC 0,00:0,04; p<0,04) and dental prosthesis needs (beta=0,14; IC 0,13:0,81; p<0,01), women (beta=0,18; IC 0,23:0,85; p<0,01), less aged (beta=-0,12; IC -0,05:0,00; p<0,02), not working (beta=-0,15; IC -1,09:-0,20; p<0,01), with dental care need (beta=0,24; IC 0,25:0,63; p<0,01) and dental pain (beta=0,14; IC 0,10:0,64; p<0,01). Missing teeth, sociodemographic conditions, dental treatment needs and dental pain might impact oral health-related quality of life of elders.