Oral Health-Related Quality Of Life

In the last few years, a concept called "oral health-related quality of life" has emerged. The idea behind it is nothing new, but it has become a topic that is getting well-deserved attention. The team at The Smilist Dental was able to break down the idea for us so that we better understand what it is and what the implications are on dental patients.

What is it?

First, let's break down the terms. Health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "a complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being and not just the absence of disease" (1948). In other words, health does not just mean that you are not sick. It also means that you are well in every way, including socially and mentally. Meanwhile, they define quality of life as "perceptions of their position in life in the context of culture and value systems in which they live, and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and concerns." Your quality of life is really based on how you feel about your life and whether you are meeting your own expectations.  

How does your Oral Health Relate to your Quality of Life?

Now that we understand what health and quality of life means, the question of how they relate comes into play. Your mouth is the gateway into your body. Everything that you eat passes through your mouth before entering your body. The way that you are able to eat will affect your nutrition and your overall health.

When your oral health is not as good as it should be, you will not be able to feel good in general. On a lighter side of things, you might feel more tired or sluggish when you are not eating well. On a more extreme level, you might develop chronic conditions if you are not able to eat well.

There are a couple of considerations that come into play here. The first is what happens inside of your body when your mouth is not very healthy. If you have active decay in your mouth, it might hurt to chew your food. If you cannot chew your food, you will be limited on what you can eat. You might not feel good in your body or you might even be developing chronic illness from the foods that you are unable to eat. This will dramatically affect your quality of life. If you are not able to enjoy the foods that you love, it can definitely make things feel harder.

Self-Esteem

Another big factor that oral health has on your quality of life is your self-esteem. While some people with oral health issues may have other health conditions going on, others have more cosmetic concerns. Active decay is certainly one cause for concern, but sometimes it comes down to aesthetics.

If you are unhappy with the way that your smile looks, which could be anything from a crooked smile to missing teeth, it can harm your quality of life. You might be less inclined to socialize with others. Your unwillingness to smile can affect the types of jobs that you get and the relationships you have. As a result, your overall quality of life can go down.

What Can be Done?

Thankfully, you are not stuck with the oral health that you have. There are two factors to consider. The first is prevention. If you can prevent yourself from developing oral health issues, then you might not be dealing with any long-term quality of life issues at all. This type of prevention happens through homecare, like brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day. Habits are also a factor, which could mean quitting smoking and watching your sugar intake. It also means going to the dentist twice a year for your cleanings and checkups.

The other factor is what you can do if you are already dealing with a quality of life issue. You need to visit your dentist if your oral health is impacting your quality of life at all. Your dentist will be able to work with you to find out what kind of solutions are out there to help give you the smile you deserve. Never think that nothing can be done. Help is there if you want it.