Impact of Bariatric Surgery on the Oral Health of Patients with Morbid Obesity

Background The present study assessed the impact of bariatric surgery on the oral health. Methods All of the patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass at Nossa Senhora da Conceição Hospital between October 2009 and January 2011 were invited to participate. In this longitudinal study, oral examinations and interviews were conducted in two stages. A descriptive analysis, McNemar’s test, Student’s t test for paired samples, and the Wilcoxon test were performed. Results Thirty-nine patients completed the protocol. There was a statistically significant reduction in the number of medications taken daily, sensation of dry mouth, and increased stimulated salivary flow rate. Conclusions The oral health of patients who underwent bariatric surgery improved; moreover, the sensation of dry mouth decreased.