Adult Oral Health Survey 2023: 4. Oral health-related quality of life and behaviours among adults in England

This paper presents key findings on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and oral health related behaviours, based on self-reported data from 2,285 adults who participated in the Adult Oral Health Survey 2023. OHRQoL was measured via the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) and the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (OIDP) instruments. Both measures highlighted high levels of oral impacts, with almost half of English adults reporting at least one oral impact on their quality of life (49% for the OHIP-14 and 43% for the OIDP). The most prevalent impacts were related to feeling embarrassed about showing teeth and difficulties with eating, while dental pain and difficulties cleaning teeth were also common. Nearly 30% of respondents reported cleaning their teeth less than twice a day. A third of respondents (33%) reported daily consumption of sugary drinks and 36% reported taking sugar in hot drinks every day. The distribution of oral impacts and health-compromising behaviours followed steep social gradients, disproportionately reported by those who were more socioeconomically disadvantaged. These findings highlight an urgent need for public health strategies that reduce oral diseases and oral health inequalities by adopting a Common Risk Factor approach and addressing their underlying social and commercial determinants.