The impact of oral health on quality of life is one aspect when it comes to understanding the significance of oral health. The aim of this sudy was to analyse the self-reported oral discomfort and clincial status of individuals reporting oral problems never/very seldom affexting quality of life during the last year and compar ehem with individuals who reported oral problems hardly ever/occasiaonally or often/very often during the same period. The study comprised a stratified random sample of 515 individuals who lived in four parishes in the City of Jönköping, Sweden, and tyrned 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 years of age in 2003. The impact of oral health on quality of life was examined using the OHIP-14 questionnaire. The individuals were also examined clinically and radiographically. Of the participants, 21 % reorted no experience of impaired quality of life and 20 % of the indivudals reported that they had expperienced impaires quality of life often or very often during the last year. The highest frequency of oral problems was found among individuals aged 20 and 80 years. Subjective symptoms, such as grinding/clenching and headache, were found among 20- and 30-year-olds. Edentulous individuals with many missing teeth, individuals with severe periodontal disease or subjective dry mouth answered that they experienced problems accordning to the OHIP-14 often or very often. A number of individuals, young and old, had thus experienced subjective or clinically verified oral conditions associated with a negative experience of quality of life. This complementary information will provide a deeper understanding of the importance of oral health in the population.

Objectives: Quality of life is an  expression with many meanings  and it creates positive associations  for most people. Oral health has a major impact on general quality of life. The aim of this study was to describe  oral health-related quality of life measured with Oral Health Impact  profile with 14 questions (OHIP-14)  in an Swedish adult population. Methods: This is an epidemiological study and it comprised a stratified random sample of 260 men and 259 women, 20-80 years of age. The OHIP-14 questionnaire was used. Results: Twenty-one percent of the respondents stated that they had no oral problems that were negative related to their well-being, and 79% had some form of problem related to quality  of life. The mean value for the entire population was 6.4 (SD=7.1). Of the individuals who stated that they had oral problems, the majority were among women aged 20-yearsInternal reliability of the OHIP scale showed good internal consistency with a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.90. Conclusions: In this Swedish population, a number of individuals, young and old, experienced oral problems that had a negative impact on their well-being.

Syftet med studiev var att beskriva oralhälsorelaterad livskvalitet mätt med OHIP-14 i en svensk vuxen population. Material och metod: Materialet är hämtat från 2003 års Jönköpingsundersökning. I studiendeltor 519 indivder 20-80 år gamla, utgörande ett stratifierat slumpmässigt urval av individer från Jönköpings kommun. Detagarna undersöktes kliniskt och radiologiskt och fick fylla i ett omfattande frågeformulär om bl.a. socioekonomi, tandvårdsvanor, tandhälsa och där även OHIP-14 ingick för mätning av oralhälsorelaterad livskvalitet. Resultat: Av deltagarna uppgav 21% att de inte hade några orala problem som påverkade deras välbefinnande (0 poäng). Medelvärdet för OHIP-14 var 6.4 (SD=7.1) för hela populationen; 5.9 (SD=7.1) för män och 6.8 (SD=7.2) för kvinnor. De indvider som rapporterade frekventa upplevelser av orala problem i förhållande till den orala hälsan, med en totalsumma av 16-41 poäng var 10%. Slutsats: I alla åldersgrupper återfanns individer somupplevde sig ha besvär från munnen som påverkade deras livskvalitet negativt.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of dry mouth conditions on oral health-related quality of life in frail old people, residents at community care centers. Further, reliability and validity of a visual analogue scale (VAS) for dry mouth symptoms were determined within the study cohort.

Background: In old people functional, social and psychological impacts of oral conditions are associated with an overall sense of well being and general health. Subjective dry mouth and reduced saliva flow are common disorders in old people caused by disease and medication. Thus, dry mouth conditions may be determinants for compromised oral health-related quality of life in old people.

Method: In total, 50 people living at service homes for the old people were asked to answer qustionnaires on subjective dry mouth (VAS) and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) for oal health-related quality of life. Saliva flow was estimated by absorbing saliva into a pre-weighed cotton roll.

Results: The final study cohort comprised 41 old people (aged 83-91 years). Significant associations were identified between both objective and subjective dry mouth and overall or specific aspects of oral health-related quality of life.

Conclusion: Dry mouth (objective and subjective) is significantly associated with oral health-related quality of life strengthening the value of monitoring dry mouth conditions in the care of frail old people.

Objectives. Oral health has a major impact on general quality of life. The aspects of oral health that are most important for each individual vary, and quality of life is a construct and not a measurable variable. The aim of this study was to describe the impact of oral health on quality of life in an adult Swedish population. Material and methods. The study comprised a stratified random sample of 519 individuals. The OHIP-14 questionnaire was used and the answers were rated on a scale of 0-4. Results. Twenty-one percent of the respondents stated that they had no oral problems related to well-being, and 79% had some form of problem related to quality of life. The mean value for the entire population was 6.4 (SD=7.1); 5.9 (SD=7.1) for men and 6.8 (SD=7.2) for women. Of individuals who stated that they had oral problems, the majority were women aged 20 years. Nineteen percent of 30-year-old men and 53% of 70-year-old women stated that they had had problems that had made life less satisfactory. Individuals who frequently experienced problems related to oral health, with scores of 16-41 points, accounted for 10%. Conclusion. In this Swedish population, a number of individuals, young and old, experienced oral problems that had an impact on their well-being.

The aim: The overall aim of this licentiate thesis was to describe and analyze oral health-related quality of life measured with OHIP-14. The thesis comprises two studies, each with a specific aim.

Study I: To describe oral health-related quality of life measured with OHIP-14 in an Swedish adult population

Study II: To study the relationship between oral health-related quality of life, measured with OHIP-14, and subjective as well as objective dry mouth conditions in fragile old people. Furthermore, the aim was to study the reliability and validity of a new instrument (VAS) to measure dry mouth

Material and methods: Study I comprised a stratified random sample of 519 individuals 20-80 years of age. In Study II, 41 randomly selected fragile old people, residents at three different community care centers, participated. In both studies, the questionnaire OHIP-14 was used for measurement of oral health-related quality of life. The participants in Study II answered a questionnaire for subjectively experienced dry mouth (VAS). For objective dry mouth measurements, saliva was absorbed into a preweighted cotton roll.

Results: In Study I, 21% of the respondents stated that they had no oral problems that had a negative impact on their well-being. In Study II, the corresponding figure was 71%. In study I the mean value for OHIP-14 was 6.4 (SD=7.1) for the entire population; 5.9 (SD=7.1) for men and 6.8 (SD=7.2) for women in. Subjects, who frequently experienced problems related to oral health, with scores ranging from 16 to 41 points, accounted for 10% of the study group. In Study II, significant associations were identified between both objectively measured respective subjectively experienced dry mouth and oral health-related quality of life. The validity of the VAS instrument was good for subjective mouth dryness, but poor for objectively measured dry mouth in fragile old people.

Conclusion: From Study I it can be concluded that, in this Swedish population, a number of individuals, both young and old, experience oral problems that have a negative impact on their well-being. From Study II, the conclusion is that dry mouth (both objective and subjective) is significantly associated with poorer oral health-related quality of life, underlining the value of monitoring dry mouth conditions in the care of fraigile old people.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of the traditional multidimensional health locus of control (MHLC) scale, a corresponding dental health locus of control (DHLC) scale and dental health values (DHVs) regarding students' dental health before and after a video programme that presented information about dental diseases and instructions on oral hygiene. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A group of 217 university students participated in this study. Before the video programme was presented, assessments were made of MHLC, DHLC and DHVs. Plaque and gingival indices were obtained in a clinical examination conducted before (plaque index [PLI] 1 and gingival index [GI] 1) and 10 weeks after (PLI 2 and GI 2) the presentation of the programme. RESULTS: The percentage of tooth surfaces exhibiting plaque and of sites involving gingivitis decreased and was statistically significant between baseline and re-examination for both males and females. The females exhibited statistically significant better PLI 1 and GI 1 values and stronger DHVs than males. Also, better GI 1 values were found to be statistically significant and related to stronger DHVs for females. A stronger trust in the dental health personnel regarding the dental health was related to more gingivitis at the initial examination (GI 1). For males, stronger internal DHLC was related to more plaque at the final examination (PLI 2). CONCLUSION: The only psychological scales that showed some relationship to the measures of dental health were DHLC and DHVs. Gender was the strongest related variable to dental health.

Bakgrund: Munhälsan har stor betydelse för den allmänna hälsan och välbefinnandet och påverkar därmed livskvaliteten .Syftet med studien var att beskriva munhälsorelaterad livskvalitet i en svensk vuxen population.

Metod: Munhälsorelaterad livskvalitet mättes med frågeformuläret Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). Med OHIP-14 poängsätts munbesvär (0-56 p). Mer besvär ger högre poäng. Ett slumpmässigt urval av 910 individer, 20-80 år tillfrågades att delta

Resultat: Totalt 516 individer deltog. 78% uppgav att de hade någon form av orala besvär relaterat till livskvaliteten.  20-åriga kvinnor var de som hade mest besvär. 20% av 30-åriga män och 59% av 70-åriga kvinnor uppgav att de haft besvär från munnen som inneburit att livet varit mindre tillfredställande. Andelen individer med svåra besvär, 17-41 poäng, var 9 %.

Slutsatser: Den studerade populationen uppvisade i sin helhet en god munhälso-   relaterad livskvalitet. Det förekom ett relativt stort antal både unga och äldre individer med munbesvär som påverkade livskvaliteten.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of dry mouth conditions on oral health-related quality of life in frail old people, residents at community care centers. Further, reliability and validity of a visual analogue scale (VAS) for dry mouth symptoms were determined within the study cohort.

Background: In old people functional, social and psychological impacts of oral conditions are associated with an overall sense of well being and general health. Subjective dry mouth and reduced saliva flow are common disorders in old people caused by disease and medication. Thus, dry mouth conditions may be determinants for compromised oral health-related quality of life in old people.

Method: In total, 50 people living at service homes for the old people were asked to answer qustionnaires on subjective dry mouth (VAS) and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) for oal health-related quality of life. Saliva flow was estimated by absorbing saliva into a pre-weighed cotton roll.

Results: The final study cohort comprised 41 old people (aged 83-91 years). Significant associations were identified between both objective and subjective dry mouth and overall or specific aspects of oral health-related quality of life.

Conclusion: Dry mouth (objective and subjective) is significantly associated with oral health-related quality of life strengthening the value of monitoring dry mouth conditions in the care of frail old people.

Adhesion of bacteria to pellicle-coated tooth surfaces is the first step in biofilm formation on teeth. The aim of this study was to explore whether human milk prevents or promotes adhesion of cariogenic Streptococcus mutans to saliva-coated hydroxyapatite (HA) using an in vitro model system. S. mutans binding to HA coated with human parotid saliva (s-HA) or human milk was studied, in addition to binding inhibition to s-HA by human milk. S. mutans did not bind to HA coated with milk. S. mutans binding to s-HA was inhibited by milk from 15 (71 %) of 21 women, whereas milk from the remaining 6 mothers enhanced binding of S. mutans to s-HA. Inhibition of S. mutans binding correlated with bacterial binding to s-HA (r = 0.76). Human milk does not mediate adhesion of S. mutans to HA in vitro, but affects adhesion in an individually varying fashion. Phenotypic variations in milk and saliva glycosylation may explain the inhibitory capacity and possibly affect susceptibility to colonization by S. mutans in childhood. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.