Periodontitis and Oral Health–Related Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

ABSTRACT Aim To investigate the association between periodontitis and oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL) in adults, and to compare OHRQoL across different severities of the disease. Materials and Methods Searches were conducted in five electronic databases up to December 2023. Observational studies that provided a clear definition of periodontitis and used validated measures of OHRQoL were included. Meta‐analyses were performed both overall and based on factors that could explain heterogeneity between studies. Results Sixty studies comprising 14,851 individuals were included in the review. Meta‐analyses showed that periodontitis was associated with impaired OHRQoL: any OHRQoL instruments ( n = 33 studies; SMD: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.53–0.93), solely using the OHIP‐14 ( n = 26 studies; MD: 5.14, 95% CI: 3.64–6.64), and risk assessment ( n = 9 studies; adjusted RR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.12–1.78). Stages III–IV periodontitis had a greater impact than Stages I–II periodontitis. Subgroup and meta‐regression analyses indicated smaller effect size estimates for individuals with comorbidities. Conclusions Periodontitis negatively impacts OHRQoL, with a positive score–response relationship found between periodontitis severity and poorer OHRQoL. However, the magnitude of this association appears to be diminished in individuals with comorbidities.