The impact of tooth loss on general health related to quality of life among elderly Pomeranians: results from the study of health in Pomerania (SHIP-O)

Abstract

Purpose: It is important to know whether tooth loss has an impact on an individual's quality of life, since tooth loss is common. The aim of this study was to determine whether oral status is associated with general health and related to quality of life.

Materials and methods: Data of 1,406 subjects aged 60 to 79 years were taken from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP). Sociodemographic (age, sex, and education level) and medical information (including the most common diseases in Germany) were gathered through an interview, and income data were obtained from a self-administered questionnaire. The prosthetic status in the maxilla and mandible was classified into complete denture or removable partial denture or with > or = 10 natural teeth including teeth replaced with fixed prosthodontics (> or = 10T) or with < or = 9 natural teeth including fixed prosthodontics (< or = 9T). The health-related quality of life was measured using the Short Form (SF-12) questionnaire. Multiple linear logistic regression analyses were used to identify the nonstandardized beta coefficient using physical and psychologic indices from the SF-12 as dependent variables and sociodemographic information, prosthetic status, and disease state as independent variables.

Results: Prosthetic status is related to the physical scale of the SF-12. Additionally, we found that < or = 9T had a significant effect on the physical index of general health-related quality of life.

Conclusion: Reduced dentition without replacement of missing teeth by removable or fixed prosthodontics reduces the physical index of quality of life to the same extent as cancer or renal diseases.