A cross-sectional comparative analysis of smoking and oral health-related quality of life

Introduction: Tobacco use is a major public health concern globally, and its usage has various harmful effects on both general and oral health. Thus, assessment of the oral health-related quality of life (QOL) is necessary among smokers to improve their oral health. The aim of this study was to assess the oral health-related QOL among smokers and nonsmokers. Methodology: A cross-sectional comparative research was conducted. A total of 520 participants, of which 260 were smokers and 260 were nonsmokers, were included in the study. To acquire data related to sociodemographic parameters and smoking status, the World Health Organization QOL-Brief version assessment tool was used, and to review the association between oral health-related QOL, the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) was used. Results: When comparing smokers and nonsmokers' OHIP, the mean rank of every OHIP-14 question was higher in smokers with a significant P = 0.001, except for “satisfaction of life,” where the P value was not significant (P = 0.347). The distribution of total OHIP-14 scores as per sociodemographic variable showed that a higher mean rank of OHIP-14 was found in unmarried, nonearning, and noneducated participants as compared to married, employed, and literate participants. However, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Oral health-related QOL among smokers is poor as compared to nonsmokers.