Evaluation of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Elderly People with Type II Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Background and purpose: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common form of diabetes, and a metabolic disorder affecting patients' general health in various ways. The present study aimed to evaluate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among older adults of Amirkola, Northern Iran.

Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted with a sample of 500 elderly people (250 with T2DM and 250 healthy controls) who answered geriatric oral health assessment index (GOHAI) questionnaire and a questionnaire evaluating xerostomia. Then, all participants underwent clinical dental examinations. The obtained data were then analyzed by t-test, chi-square test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient, and p < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The prevalence of xerostomia was not statistically significant between the T2DM patients and control groups (p < 0.079). Greater number of patients suffering T2DM reported xerostomia according to the records; however, the correlation between this disorder and periodontal disease index (PDI), Plaque index (PI), oral health index-simplified (OHI-S), and geriatric oral health assessment index (GOHAI) in the subjects of the two study groups was not significant (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion: In the present study, there was no significant relationship between GOHAI and periodontal indices, demonstrating no difference in the OHRQoL of elderly patients with T2DM and older healthy adults.