Tooth loss: the impact on the quality of life for patients visiting Kantipur dental college and hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. a descriptive study.

Research Report.

SUMMARY: Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate how tooth loss affects the oral health related quality of life through an OHIP-14 questionnaire and additional questions among patients visiting the Kantipur Dental College and Hospital (KDCH) in Kathmandu, Nepal. Materials and method: Data was obtained from a questionnaire based on the OHIP-14 form, additional questions and a clinical examination. The study was of a descriptive nature and investigated consecutive patients (n=249) visiting the KDCH. Data from completed forms were analysed with SPSS to investigate how tooth loss affects the oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) Results: Mean age was 47.6 years with a gender ratio of 48 % (n=119) male and 52 % (n=130) female. The mean number of missing teeth was 5, and the mean total OHIPscore was 21.57 (SD 12.55). The most frequently impacted dimensions for the OHIP-14 were "Physical pain" (77 %) and "Psychological discomfort" (82.5 %). 96.8 % of the investigated population experiencing some form of impact on their OHRQoL. Conclusion: A large majority of the patients visiting the KDCH experienced an impact on their OHRQoL related to missing teeth. The number of missing teeth had an impact on OHRQoL, but the position of missing teeth had not. The OHIP score with the criteria used in this study was found to be higher in comparison to other international findings