Evaluation of Life Quality in Patients with Oral Mucosal Lesions

Aim: The mouth does many functions, such as speaking, chewing, taste perception and swallowing. Therefore, any pathologic changes of oral mucosa might affect patients’ life quality. The aim of this study was to investigate quality of life (QoL) in patients with oral mucosal lesions. Materials and methods: A total of 40 patients with oral mucosal lesions attending at Oral Medicine Department of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Dental School entered in a cross-sectional study. Variables, such as age, sex, level of education, kind of lesions, systemic disease and medicine consumptions were recorded in data sheets, and QoL was assessed using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire - Head and Neck 35 (EORTC-QLQ-H&N35). Data were analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 16), backward regression model, student’s t-test and Chi-square test. Results: Out of 40 patients with mean age of (44 ± 13), 25(62.5%) were women and 15(37.5%) were men. The mean score of life quality was 43.8 ± 9.8 (range of score: 30-120), whereas in mostly frequent oral lesions it was reported to be 41.7 ± 6.4 (lichen planus), 40.8 ± 6.7 (mucocele), 42.4 ± 7.2 (irritation fibrosis), respectively. Regression analysis showed that higher levels of education affect quality of life and its aspects of pain, sexual function, xerostomia, swallowing and speaking negatively. Recurrent aphthous stomatitis deteriorated aspects of pain, and eating of QoL. However, irritation fibrosis and mucocele aggravated QoL in terms of swallowing and social relationship respectively.