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Updated: Jan 8, 2026
Use of the Operant Orofacial Pain Assessment Device OPAD to Measure Changes in Nociceptive Behavior
Published on: June 10, 2013
Orofacial Pain Is Associated With Oral Health-Related Quality of Life: The Tromsø Study 2015-2016
Amalie Storaa Jensen1, Ólöf Anna Steingrímsdóttir2, Birgitta Jönsson3
1The Public Dental Health Service of Troms County, Sjøvegan, Norway.
Introduction And Aims:
Pain may have a negative impact on the quality of life. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between orofacial pain (OFP) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among Norwegian adults.
Methods:
Data for this cross-sectional study were from the seventh Tromsø study (2015-2016). All residents 40 years and older in Tromsø municipality were invited. We had data on OHRQoL and OFP for 19,569 participants (40-96 years old, 52.2% women). Participants completed questionnaires on socioeconomic status and health. OHRQoL was evaluated by the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP) questionnaire, whereas OFP was assessed by the Graphical Index of Pain. The association between OFP and OHRQoL was analysed by cross-tabulations and χ2 tests, as well as by multivariate binary logistic regression analysis to adjust for confounders.
Results:
Participants with OFP reported reduced OHRQoL compared to those without OFP. They experienced more problems with all activities assessed by the OIDP questionnaire than those without OFP, particularly with sleep/relaxation (24.6% vs 5.2%), performing daily tasks/work (11.5% vs 3.0%), and maintaining emotional stability (17.1% vs 5.1%). In multivariate regression, those with OFP had 3.44 times higher odds (95% CI, 2.77-4.27) of reporting reduced OHRQoL.
Conclusion:
The strong association between OFP and OHRQoL, particularly related to sleep, emotional stability, and performing daily tasks, highlights the interconnectedness of oral and general health. The requirement to attend a research station caused underrepresentation of groups with serious illnesses, which reduces the generalisability of the results. As the study design is cross-sectional, the associations observed may not be causal.
Clinical Relevance:
This study shows the significant impact of OFP on OHRQoL. The findings highlight the importance of addressing OFP in clinical practice to improve the overall quality of life. These results emphasize the need for integrated approaches to oral and general health care.
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