Oral Health-Related Quality of Life, Self-Care, and Mental Well-Being in Older Adults: Associations in a Biopsychosocial Framework

Background Oral health is increasingly recognized as a key determinant of overall well-being in older adults. However, its relationship with mental health remains insufficiently understood, particularly in relation to behavioral processes such as self-care. This study aimed to examine the associations among oral health-related quality of life, self-care, and mental health-related quality of life in older adults. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted among 681 community-dwelling older adults. Oral health-related quality of life was assessed using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI), self-care using the Multidimensional Self-Care Scale for Older Adults (MSCS-OA), and mental health-related quality of life using the Short Form Health Survey-36 Mental Component Summary (SF-36 MCS). Pearson correlation and regression analyses were performed to examine associations among the study variables, adjusting for selected sociodemographic and health-related factors. Results Oral health-related quality of life was positively correlated with self-care (r = 0.25, p < 0.001) and mental health-related quality of life (r = 0.39, p < 0.001), while self-care was also positively correlated with mental health-related quality of life (r = 0.38, p < 0.001). In the adjusted hierarchical regression model, both oral health-related quality of life (β = 0.293, p < 0.001) and self-care (β = 0.238, p < 0.001) were positively associated with mental health-related quality of life. The inclusion of self-care accounted for an additional 4.2% of the variance (ΔR² = 0.042, p < 0.001), increasing the total explained variance to 25.8% (R² = 0.258). Conclusions Oral health-related quality of life and self-care were positively associated with mental health-related quality of life in older adults. These findings support a biopsychosocial understanding of health and identify self-care as an important behavioral correlate in later life.