Oral Health And Quality Of Life In Kazakhstan: Pilot Study

Oral health significantly influences overall quality of life. However, to date, no studies in Kazakhstan have assessed this impact using validated instruments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of oral health on quality of life using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire. A pilot cross-sectional study was conducted involving 751 randomly selected respondents aged 18 to 60 years. Data were collected through an online survey using the validated OHIP-14 instrument. The responses were systematically organized and analyzed using SPSS software, version 18. Patients who had not visited a dentist reported the highest scores in the domains of “Physical pain” (mean 4.2 out of 5) and “Psychological discomfort” (3.9), whereas those who had received dental care scored significantly lower—2.1 and 1.8, respectively. The smallest difference between the groups was observed in the domain of “Social disability” (2.7 vs. 2.1). In all other domains, patients who had received dental treatment demonstrated a better quality of life. The findings emphasize the importance of accessible and regular dental care as a key factor in maintaining patients’ overall health and well-being.