“THE INFLUENCE OF DENTAL BLEACHING ON PATIENT'S QUALITY OF LIFE: A MULTISTUDY ANALYSIS OF AESTHETIC AND PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOMES”
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Keywords
Dental bleaching; Quality of life; Oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL); Aesthetic dentistry; Tooth discoloration; Psychosocial wellbeing; Self-confidence; Cosmetic dentistry; Patient satisfaction; OHIP-14 questionnaire
Abstract
Background: Dental aesthetics is a crucial factor in the psychological wellbeing, self-esteem, and social engagement. Tooth discolouration may have an adverse impact on the quality of life a person, as it makes them less happy with their looks and leads to psychosocial problems. Dental bleaching is a common, least invasive cosmetic surgery that aims at ameliorating the color of the teeth and improving the looks of a smile. Recent studies have shown that aesthetic dental surgeries do not just help to enhance physical looks but also emotional wellbeing, self-esteem and social functioning.
Purpose: To determine the effects of dental bleaching on the quality of life of patients, the level of aesthetic satisfaction, psychological wellbeing, and psychosocial outcome of adult patients.
Materials and Methods: It was a prospective observational research carried out at the Bakhtawar Amin Medical and Dental College between August 2024 and July 2025. There were 140 adult patients who were receiving professional in-office dental bleaching. In each case, baseline and follow-up assessments were conducted on the basis of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire and standardized tooth shade assessment. Psychosocial parameters such as self-confidence, satisfaction with dental appearance and social comfort were measured at the pre-treatment and follow-up intervals. The data were calculated with SPSS 26, and the level was established at p, 0.05.
Findings: The tooth shade had significantly improved in 84.3% of patients with the treatment. The mean score of OHIP-14 dropped by 22.8 +- 5.4 at the baseline to 11.6 +- 4.2 after treatment (p < 0.001). Self-confidence (80%), satisfaction with the appearance of the teeth (85%), and social comfort (74.3) also improved.
Conclusion: Dental bleaching significantly improves dental aesthetics, psychological wellbeing, and overall quality of life, supporting its role as an effective and valuable intervention in aesthetic dental care.
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Malaika Sajjad
BDS, House Officer, Bakhtawar Amin Medical and Dental College
Fatima Zafar2
BDS, House Officer, Bakhtawar Amin Medical and Dental College
Muhammad Abi Waqas
BDS, MPhill, Assistant Professor Dental Materials, Multan Medical and Dental College. Multan
Javeria Afzal
BDS, MSPH, MHPE, Associate Professor of Community Dentistry, Bakhtawar Amin Medical and Dental College, Multan
Taimur UL Hassan
BDS, MCPS, Assistant Professor Oral Medicine, Bakhtawar Amin Medical & Dental College, Multan
Rubbab zahra
BDS FCPS Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Assistant Professor Oral Medicine, Avicenna Dental College
