The impact of perceived gingival recession on oral health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional study of Saudi adults.

BACKGROUND/

OBJECTIVES

Gingival recession (GR) is a common periodontal condition that can lead to both aesthetic and functional concerns. There is limited data on their impact on patient-reported outcomes in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of self-reported gingival recession on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among adults in Saudi Arabia.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 619 adults in Saudi Arabia. Data was collected using a validated, self-administered questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, oral hygiene practices, and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) to assess seven dimensions of OHRQoL. Statistical analysis included Chi-square tests and logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

The prevalence of perceived GR was significantly higher in males com-pared to females (30.4% vs. 22.7%; p = 0.0295) and increased progressively with age (p = 0.0001). GR was significantly associated with all 14 items and seven domains of the OHIP-14. The most frequent complaints included painful aching (84.5%) and difficulty eating (76.4%). The strongest associations were found in psychological domains, with high levels of self-consciousness (59.9%) and embarrassment (61.4%) reported by those with recession. Participants with GR were significantly more likely to have a "poor" overall OHIP score (≥35) compared to those without recession (14.6% vs. 2.9%; p < 0.0001). Adjusted logistic regression confirmed that GR was a persistent independent predictor of poorer quality of life across all functional, physical, and psychosocial domains (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Self-reported gingival recession exerts a considerable negative impact on the quality of life of adults in Saudi Arabia, particularly regarding physical pain and psychosocial well-being. These findings emphasize the importance of improving awareness of gingival recession and promoting early clinical intervention to reduce its functional and psychosocial burden. Recession was self-reported and not clinically verified, so the reported associations should be interpreted with this limitation in mind.