Do psychological factors predict changes in oral health-related quality of life and clinical status after periodontal treatment?

Aims To determine psychological factors predicting changes in OHRQoL and clinical status after periodontal treatment. Methods Cohort of 140 patients with chronic periodontitis receiving non-surgical treatment consisting of scaling, root surface debridement and instruction in plaque control. Participants self-completed questionnaires enquiring about sense of coherence, locus of control, self-esteem and task-specific self-efficacy before treatment, and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 before treatment, at oral hygiene review and end of study. Relationships among OHRQoL, clinical changes, individual factors (demographic and psychological) and environmental characteristics were analysed using latent growth curve modelling guided by the Wilson and Cleary model. Results OHRQoL and periodontal status improved after treatment. Being male and having a greater sense of coherence predicted better OHRQoL before treatment. Stronger internal dimension of locus of control predicted a greater rate of improvement in OHRQoL, whereas greater external dimensions predicted a slower rate of improvement. Greater task-specific self-efficacy predicted less gains in probing attachment and reductions in probing depth. Conclusions Knowledge of psychological factors may be helpful in explaining individual differences in OHRQoL and clinical responses to periodontal treatment, and in identifying where health-promoting interventions may strengthen relevant factors to improve these outcomes.