Impact of Endodontic Disease on Oral Health‐Related Quality of Life in the Elderly

Aim The silver tsunami poses a global healthcare challenge, and this study aimed to assess the impact of endodontic disease on oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQOL) in an elderly population who received non‐surgical root canal treatment (NSRCT). The appropriateness of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP‐17) and General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) as OHRQOL assessment tools for this population was also assessed. Methodology Patients aged ≥ 65 years who received NSRCT were recruited. OHRQOL assessments were conducted using OHIP‐17, GOHAI and an oral health perception questionnaire. The severity of impact was assessed by summing the numeric response codes for all questions, producing a total score for each participant potentially ranging from 0 to 68 for OHIP‐17 and 0 to 48 for GOHAI, with higher scores indicating poorer OHRQOL. Potential influencing factors for OHRQOL scores were investigated. Internal consistency, concurrent validity and discriminant validity of both tools were evaluated. Results One hundred and twenty‐two patients were recruited. The mean total OHIP‐17 and GOHAI scores were 16.35 ± 11.81 (maximum possible score = 68) and 16.85 ± 7.04 (maximum possible score = 48) respectively. The percentage of patients reporting no impact was lower with GOHAI (0.8%) than OHIP‐17 (9.8%). Multivariate analyses showed that higher OHRQOL scores were significantly associated with higher levels of education, full/part‐time employment and more teeth that received NSRCT. Internal consistency was high for both tools. Concurrent validity assessment demonstrated a significant association of satisfaction with oral health for GOHAI, and perceived importance of keeping one's own teeth and perceived oral health for both OHIP‐17 and GOHAI. Neither tool significantly correlated patient‐reported impact with clinicians' assessment of oral health. Conclusions In elderly patients who received NSRCT, OHRQOL is negatively associated with higher education level, being employed, and more teeth that received NSRCT. GOHAI appears more successful than OHIP‐17 in detecting the impact of endodontic disease on OHRQOL.