Background: Good oral health has been associated with better quality of life and general health. In the Caribbean, there have been no studies regarding the association between oral health conditions and the quality of life of the population. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the association between gingival parameters and oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Caribbean adults. A secondary aim of the study was to gain more information on factors that impact OHRQoL in this population.Methods: This cross-sectional, epidemiological, population-based study was conducted in community settings. After the participants with missing Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) data were excluded, the sample size was 1821 (weighted according to the age and gender distribution in each target population). OHIP-14 standardized questionnaires were used to collect information. In addition, a medical/oral health questionnaire including sociodemographics, general health, dental visits, oral hygiene habits and knowledge, the frequency of dental visits, prosthesis use/hygiene, and smoking was administered. A multivariate model included predictors that showed significant associations in the univariate models. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported; statistical significance was set at 0.05.Results: In the multivariate analysis, current smokers (OR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.74–3.14 vs. never smokers), those who visited the dentist only when problems arose (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.13–2.40 vs. those visiting once a year), and participants with any chronic disease/condition (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.06–1.78) had higher odds of being in the highest tertile for OHIP score (poorer health).Conclusions: The present multicenter study identified potential modifiable risk factors for poor OHRQoL among adults in three Caribbean cities.

Coronally advanced flap (CAF) with connective tissue graft (CTG) has been considered the gold standard for obtaining complete root coverage. However, some limitations have been reported with the use of CTG, especially because it increases morbidity and leads to postoperative pain and bleeding. Recently, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has been used in periodontal plastic surgery for the treatment of gingival recessions (GRs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of PRF combined with a CAF (test) compared to de-epithelialized connective tissue graft (DeCTG) + CAF (control) for GR coverage. Ten healthy patients exhibiting mandibular or maxillary Miller class I and II were treated with PRF + CAF or DeCTG + CAF. GR, probing depth (PD), and gingival thickness (GT) were evaluated at baseline, 6 weeks, and 28 weeks postoperatively. GR, PD, and GT differences between the test and control groups at 28 weeks were not statistically significant. GR was 3.30 ± 1.25 mm and 3.00 ± 1.63 mm (control vs test) group (baseline) and -0.10 ± 0.32 vs -0.20 ± 0.42 mm (7 months), respectively. Within the limitations of the present study, it can be concluded that localized gingival recessions could be successfully treated with CAF + PRF or CAF + DeCTG. This study suggests that PRF membrane may be an alternative and valid graft material for treating localized gingival recessions Miller class I and II.

Periodontal diseases are highly prevalent globally, and represent a significant public health burden that could affect the quality of life in Latin American and in Caribbean countries and territories. The primary objective is to explore the existing research and epidemiological studies on the burden of periodontal diseases, particularly their impact on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and associations with systemic health conditions in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). An electronic literature search was conducted across multiple databases, including MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, LILACS, SciELO, and Web of Science, without publication date or language limitations, up until December 2023. Reviewers independently assessed titles and abstracts based on the eligibility criteria. The search yielded 1195 articles, with 63 meeting the inclusion criteria. The results of epidemiological studies showed that periodontitis is extremely prevalent at 90% in LAC; severe periodontitis can affect nearly 10% of the adult population and that periodontitis is aggravated by smoking, poverty, low education level, and limited access to proper dental care. Periodontitis was consistently associated with worse OHRQoL; and causing pain, and/or triggering psychological discomfort, physical disability, and social disability. Associations were also reported between periodontitis and comorbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory disease, mental illness, and adverse pregnancy outcomes that are also affecting the quality of life of individuals and their families. This scoping review offers a thorough examination of the burden of periodontal diseases in LAC and highlights the significant public health concern that it represents for the region.