Quality of life and disability weights associated with periodontal disease

Burden-of-oral-disease studies have been hampered by lack of data on disability weights. It is likely that disability weights will vary between conditions such as gingivitis and periodontal pockets. The aims of this study were to assess health-related quality of life and disability weights for periodontal conditions. A random sample of 45- to 54-year-olds was surveyed during 2004-05 (n = 879, response rate = 43.8%), with oral examinations on n = 709 persons (completion rate = 80.7%). Oral disease symptoms were recorded by the EuroQol, from which disability weights were calculated. Reported pain/discomfort ranged from 6.1% of persons (gingivitis) to 25.8% of persons (6+ mm pockets). Lower disability weights were associated with gingivitis (0.001) and 6+ mm gingival recession (0.004), with higher weights for 6+ mm loss of attachment (0.012) and 6+ mm pocket depth (0.018). Variation in symptom experience indicated the need for investigators to identify periodontal conditions and apply appropriate disability weights in burden-of-disease studies.