Gingival recession type and related clinical problems are associated with oral health-related quality of life in adult Egyptian dental patients

Gingival recession (GR) is a frequently encountered mucogingival disorder that may be associated with aesthetic problems, dentin hypersensitivity, and root caries, which may be associated with poorer oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). This study investigated the association between Cairo recession type, recession-associated problems, and overall OHRQoL among adult Egyptian dental patients, for whom evidence remains limited. A multicenter cross-sectional study included 1000 Egyptian adults attending periodontal clinics for dental treatment. Patients' sociodemographic, behavioral, and medical information was gathered through structured interviews. The clinical examination included assessment of gingival recession according to the Cairo Classification (RT1-RT3), plaque index, bleeding on probing (BOP), and gingival biotype, as well as recession-associated problems such as root caries, dentin hypersensitivity, and esthetic problems. OHRQoL was assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), a generic measure of oral health-related quality of life, with higher OHIP-14 scores indicating poorer OHRQoL. Poorer OHRQoL was independently associated with esthetic problems (IRR = 1.49), root caries (IRR = 2.51), dentin hypersensitivity (IRR = 2.52), and multiple recession-associated problems (IRR = 2.55) after full adjustment (all p < 0.001). In the fully adjusted primary model, RT2 and RT3 were associated with higher expected OHIP-14 scores than RT1 (IRR = 1.13 and 1.21, respectively; both p < 0.001). A prespecified interaction analysis indicated that this association differed according to the presence of recession-associated problems: among participants with recession-associated problems, RT2 and RT3 were associated with higher expected OHIP-14 scores than RT1 (IRR = 1.32 and 1.36, respectively), whereas these associations were not statistically significant among participants without recession-associated problems. Most demographic and behavioral factors were not independently associated with the total OHIP-14 score after multivariable adjustment, although the 31–40-year age group showed a modest association. Root caries and dentin hypersensitivity were more strongly associated with poorer OHRQoL among adult Egyptian dental patients. The association between Cairo recession type and poorer OHRQoL was modified by the presence of recession-associated problems, with higher recession types associated with poorer OHRQoL among participants with recession-associated problems but not among those without them. These findings support assessing recession-associated problems alongside Cairo recession type in patient-centered care.