Evaluation of the Impact of Periodontitis and Its Treatment on Swallowing Functions and Oral Quality of Life

The patient's masticatory performance score, obtained from the masticatory performance test (two-color chewing gum test) (quantitative variable).

Periodontitis is defined according to two criteria: grade and stage. The latter is used to characterize the severity of periodontal involvement.

The stage of periodontitis is determined according to a four-level classification system, ranging from Stage 1 (low) to Stage 4 (high).

Salivary flow is measured by collecting saliva at rest and after stimulation in mL/min. Stimulated salivary flow is assessed after chewing paraffin for 1 minute. The XI questionnaire (Xerostomia Inventory), proposed by Thomson et al. and validated in French, will also be administered (6,7). The XI consists of 11 items. Each item is scored on a scale of 1 to 5 to indicate how frequently the described situation occurs for the patient. The scores for each item are added together to yield a total score ranging from 11 (no dry mouth) to 55 (extreme dry mouth).

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is assessed using the EAT-10 (Eating Assessment Tool) questionnaire, which has been validated in French. The questionnaire comprises 10 items designed to assess swallowing disorders and the patient's perception of oropharyngeal dysphagia. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale ranging from 0 (no difficulty) to 4 (severe difficulty), resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 40. A total score of 3 or higher indicates difficulty swallowing safely.

Grade of periodontitis according to the Chicago Classification. Categorical (Grade A (low) to C (fast) or as defined by classification)

Measurement of gingival recession depth. Unit of Measure : Millimeters (mm)

Plaque accumulation assessed using a validated plaque index (specify full name of index).

Unit of Measure: Score (range: specify minimum and maximum values of the scale) Interpretation: Higher scores indicate worse oral hygiene status.

Presence or absence of edentulism.

Percentage (%) of sites showing bleeding on probing.

Periodontal probing depth. Unit of Measure: Millimeters (mm)

Tooth mobility assessed using the Miller classification (Grade 0-3). Higher scores indicate greater mobility and worse periodontal condition.

Unit of Measure: Millimeters (mm)

Count of posterior functional dental units. Unit of Measure: Millimeters (mm)

The French version of the GOHAI (General Oral Health Assessment Index) questionnaire is used to assess the impact of oral health on participants' quality of life (10,11). The GOHAI consists of 12 items divided into 3 subgroups: a group related to the functional domain (items 1, 2, 3, and 4), a group related to the psychosocial domain (items 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11), and a group related to pain and discomfort (items 5, 8, and 12). Each question is scored on a scale of 1 to 5. The maximum score is 60. The higher the score, the better the quality of life: a score of 57 to 60 corresponds to a satisfactory oral health-related quality of life; a score between 51 and 56 corresponds to an average quality of life; and a score below 50 corresponds to poor oral health.