Low social position, periodontal disease and poor oral health-related quality of life in adults with systemic arterial hypertension

Background: There is little evidence on the association between periodontal disease and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in individuals with chronic diseases, including hypertension. The aim of this study is to identify the relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, smoking, tooth loss, dental caries, periodontal status and OHRQoL in adults with systemic arterial hypertension. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 195 adults (mean age 55.7 years) with systemic arterial hypertension used interviews and oral examinations to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex and income), use of antihypertensive, smoking, tooth loss, dental caries, periodontal status (bleeding on probing, calculus and attachment loss) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL/OHIP-14). Wilson and Cleary’s conceptual model was used to test the direct and indirect relationships between variables using structural equation modeling. Results: Lower age, male sex, smoking and lower income directly predicted worse periodontal status. Tooth loss, dental caries, worse periodontal status and smoking were directly linked to poor OHRQoL. Age was indirectly linked to worse periodontal status via income. Income and smoking indirectly predicted poor OHRQoL via periodontal status. Conclusions: The findings support an effect of periodontal disease on OHRQoL in people with systemic arterial hypertension. Periodontal status mediated the associations of sociodemographic characteristics and smoking with OHRQoL through different pathways.