Dental Caries and the Quality of Life Amongst Older Adults in Vietnam: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the current Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) among older adults and to explore any correlations between dental caries and OHRQoL in Southern Vietnam. A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted was conducted among 2,700 elderly respondents (aged 60 years or older) using a cluster sampling design. A face-to-face questionnaire survey and a dental examination were used to evaluate the prevalence of dental caries. Further, the Vietnamese version of OHIP-14 (OHIP-14VN) was used to measure OHRQoL of older adults. The percentage of older adults with dental caries was 32.3%. Results show that older adults with dental caries had significantly higher physical pain and physical disability than those without dental caries. In conclusion, dental caries is a common disease that affects the quality of life among older people in Southern Vietnam. The current study suggested that dental caries should be a priority in daily and regular healthcare under a health promotion program in Vietnam.