Vital Tooth Whitening Effects on Quality of Life in Older Adults

Abstract

This study’s purpose was to determine if vital tooth whitening affects oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) in adults < 50 years old, and if tooth whitening influences regular professional dental care and increased participation in social activities. Using a 2-group, single blind, randomized, pre-test multiple post-test design, 62 participants were enrolled. The experimental group used a whitening product twice daily for 3 weeks (WG); the control group used no whitening products (NWG). The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) served as the pre-test and post-test measure. The OHIP measures OHRQOL on seven subscales: functional factors, psychological disabilities, psychological discomforts, physical disabilities, social disabilities, handicaps, and physical pain. Additional questions measured the subjects’ social activities and dental care encounters at baseline, 3-weeks, and three months. Data from 53 participants who completed the study were analyzed using paired t-tests and ANOVA at p= .05. Statistical significance was observed for the OHIP physical pain subscale (p=.0029) and the handicap subscale (p=.05). Pre- to post-test means of the physical pain subscale increased in the WG (4.84 to 7.10), suggesting a lower OHRQOL, most likely related to tooth sensitivity experienced by the WG. Means from pre- to post-test of the handicap subscale (1.96 to 1.19) reveal that the WG reported an improved OHRQOL and felt they were more willing to work. Repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc tests revealed that the WG reported significantly less (p= .04) social activities at the three-month post-test (3.92 to 3.45). No statistically significant between-group differences were observed in the overall OHIP score for functional factors, psychological disabilities, psychological discomforts, physical disabilities, and social disabilities. In conclusion, tooth color does not improve overall OHRQOL in older adults.