Oral Health–Related Quality of Life and its Association With Dental Caries Experience Among Adult Patients Treated at a Tertiary Health Facility in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Introduction Dental caries remains a major contributor to impaired oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL), particularly in low-resource settings where access to restorative care is limited. Aim This study assessed the association between dental caries experience and OHRQoL among adults attending a tertiary health facility in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methodology An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 365 adults attending the dental clinic at Muhimbili National Hospital between July 2022 and March 2023. OHRQoL was assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), while dental caries experience was evaluated using the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index according to World Health Organization criteria. Multiple linear and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with OHIP-14 severity and prevalence of oral health impacts. A P value less than .05 was taken as a cut point to determine statistical significance. Results The participants’ mean age was 39.3 ± 15.0 years, and the mean DMFT score was 6.37 ± 4.51. The mean OHIP-14 severity score was 14.7 ± 8.92, while 67.7% of participants reported at least one frequent oral health impact, defined as reporting ‘fairly often’ or ‘very often’ (score ≥3) on at least one OHIP-14 item. Increasing dental caries severity was independently associated with higher OHIP-14 severity scores ( B = 4.22, P < .001). Participants with moderate and severe DMFT had significantly higher odds of reporting oral health impacts compared with those with low DMFT (AOR = 3.70 and 4.76, respectively; P < .001). Urban residence was associated with lower odds of oral health impacts. Conclusion Increasing dental caries severity is significantly associated with poorer OHRQoL among Tanzanian adults, especially those living in suburbans, underscoring the need for strengthened preventive and restorative oral healthcare services.