Objectives:

To identify the psychosocial factors of periodontal disease and their impact on the quality of life of patients.

Methods:

A mixed quantitative and qualitative study was conducted at the School of Dentistry, UdelaR. The instruments used were a semi-structured interview based on grounded theory and the application of the OHIP-14 (Oral Health Impact Profile) questionnaire that measures the degree of impairment of quality of life (Locker’s theoretical model).

Results:

This population’s psychosocial factors are identified, as well as the emotional and social effects of periodontal disease diagnosis. The results show a 1.46 impact on people’s quality of life on a scale of 0-4, where 4 is the maximum impact. Women showed a higher level of impairment in quality of life (1.54) than men (1.36). The higher the educational level, the more the quality of life is affected.

Conclusions

The limitations of the biomedical approach to dental patient care and the need for a comprehensive approach in periodontal disease patients are clear. Dental professionals need a biopsychosocial care approach given the complexity of periodontal disease.

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