The Psychological Effect of Excessive Gingival Display on Egyptian Females

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of excessive gingival display on oral health–related quality of life of Egyptian females. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 160 individuals with excessive gingival display and 160 controls matched for gender and age, attending the outpatient clinic. The outcome was oral health–related quality of life evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire. Results: Participants with excessive gingival display had a higher total OHIP-14 score (6.37 ± 3.34) in comparison with the controls (3.68 ± 2.54, p = <0.001). Impacts were also significant in the domains: functional limitation, physical disability, psychological discomfort, and psychological disability. Mean gingival display on maximum smile in the excessive gingival display group was 3.84 ± 1.13 mm. Conclusion: Excessive gingival display negatively affects the overall oral health–related quality of life, especially the psychological domain in this particular population. The results of this present study justify the correction of excessive gingival display to improve individuals’ oral health–related quality of life.