Oral Health–Related Quality of Life After Gastric Bypass Surgery

Objective The aim was to examine how individuals treated for obesity with gastric bypass (GBP) surgery perceived their oral health and oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL). Method All individuals in one Swedish region who had undergone GBP surgery ( n = 1182) were sent a postal questionnaire 2 years after surgery. The questionnaire comprised items on sociodemographics, oral symptoms and the Oral Health Impact Profile-49 to assess the OHRQoL. Results The mean age was 47.6 years with 75% females, response rate 55.3%. The self-perceived oral health was rated low by 45% of the respondents. Gender differences were seen, for instance, regarding hypersensitive teeth (men 18.8%, women 30.8%, p = 0.003). Nine out of ten reported at least one oral impact experienced sometimes, fairly or very often, according to the Oral Health Impact Profile-49 (OHIP-49). The mean additive OHIP-49 score was 30.3 (SD 36.1). The associations between self-reported oral health and OHRQoL were consistent throughout. Tooth hypersensitivity generated an OR of 2.28 (95% CI 2.28–8.46) of having ≥ 2 impacts on OHRQoL. Conclusion A large proportion of individuals having undergone GBP surgery reported problems with their oral health and impacts on their OHRQoL, indicating a need for medical and dental staff—surgeons and general practitioners as well as other health professionals—to offer oral health promotion and prevention measures.