Impact of dyspnea on oral health-related quality of life among obese individuals prior to bariatric surgery

Resumo

Objectives: Dyspnea (shortness of breath) is common among obese individuals. However, no studies have evaluated the effect of dyspnea on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of dyspnea on the OHRQoL of obese individuals prior to bariatric surgery. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 104 obese individuals. Data were collected on socio-demographic characteristics, body mass index, perceptions of xerostomia (dry mouth), tooth loss and OHRQoL (OHIP-14). Poisson regression analysis was used to determine the association between dyspnea and OHRQoL. Results: Individuals with dyspnea had higher total OHIP-14 scores (1.40 ± 3.74) compared to those without dyspnea (0.50 ± 0.39) (P = 0.005). In the multivariate analysis, total OHIP-14 scores were 3.91-fold higher among the individuals with dyspnea. All domains of the questionnaire were associated with dyspnea, except physical disability and psychological disability. Conclusion: Dyspnea exerted a negative impact on OHRQoL in obese individuals, independently of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.