The Impact of Periodontal Therapy on Oral Health-related Quality of Life in Adults: a Systematic Review

Background: Periodontal disease negatively affects oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). While there is sufficient evidence for the clinical efficacy of periodontal therapy, data on patient-based outcomes are limited.

Objectives: To systematically review the available evidence on the impact of periodontal therapy on OHRQoL in adults.

Material & Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and LILACS were searched without language restrictions. Longitudinal observational and intervention studies assessing changes in OHRQoL using validated measures, in adults with periodontal disease undergoing non-surgical (NST) or surgical therapy (ST), were eligible for inclusion. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and CONSORT-checklist. No meta-analysis was performed.

Results: Eleven studies (seven prospective case-series', one controlled before-after study and three randomized controlled trials) of "medium" methodological quality were included in the review. All studies reported impaired OHRQoL before therapy. Nine studies reported a statistically significant improvement in OHRQoL after NST (follow-up = 1 week to 12 months, p < 0.05). The effect size for this improvement ranged from small (0.27) to large (0.8). No significant differences were reported between different forms of NST. Surgical therapy had a relatively lower impact on OHRQoL. A correlation between poor clinical response to therapy and poor OHRQoL outcomes was observed.

Conclusion: Routine non-surgical therapy can moderately improve the OHRQoL in adults with periodontal disease.