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Needleman I, McGrath C et al. J Clin Periodontol 2004; 31: 454–457

There is considerable interest in patient-centred outcomes of dental treatment. In a London private specialist periodontal practice over a 6 month period, 205 patients completed the UK oral-health-related QoL questionnaire (16 items relating to symptoms and physical, psychological and social aspects of QoL), were asked whether they had experienced signs or symptoms of periodontal disease over the past year, and were given a full periodontal examination.

The signs and symptoms were: swollen (experienced by 16%), sore (27%) or receding (29%) gums, loose (20%) or drifting (10%) teeth, bad breath (16%) or toothache (22%). For each of these there was a significantly reduced QoL score (P < 0.01) for subjects who had experienced it over the past year. There was a moderate correlation between QoL and the number of teeth with pockets of 5+ mm (rs = −0.42, P < 0.01). In 77 new patients the mean QoL score was 47.7 and in 128 maintenance patients it was 55.7.