Abstract
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical factors associated with self-awareness of periodontal health. Data were collected from a representative sample of 736 adults (25–75 years old) in a city of Northern Italy who self-assessed gingival bleeding, oral malodor, and tooth mobility in a questionnaire and who underwent clinical periodontal examination and organoleptic evaluation. Approximately 50% of the subjects were aware of their actual gingival health status and oral odor. The logistic regression analysis revealed that females presented higher odds of correctly perceiving their gingival conditions and mouth odor, while those who were older and smokers had a greater probability of being less objective in reporting them. Tooth type and position in the dental arches were positively associated with self-perception of tooth mobility. These findings reflected a low level of self-awareness that may influence oral care-seeking behavior. Subjects may be unconcerned about their periodontal health condition or lack enough knowledge to be aware of it. This points to the need for planning strategies to improve education and knowledge about periodontal health, which, by enhancing self-perception of periodontal symptoms, could help everyone to seek treatment in the initial stage of the disease.
Highlights
Periodontal disease is a widely prevalent oral health problem
50% had a correct perception of their gingival health status, 52% were aware of suffering or not from bad breath, and only 19% perceived having tooth mobility
Most studies used oral health self-reported responses to interview or a questionnaire to construct predictive models for periodontitis in population-based surveys, while few focused on concordance between self-reports and clinical evaluation and on factors associated with these
Summary
Periodontal disease is a widely prevalent oral health problem. The key presentations of periodontitis in the early stages are gingival bleeding, recession of the gingival margin, and halitosis and in advanced disease, hypermobility, migration, and tooth loss resulting in impaired oral function, esthetics, and quality of life [4]. A mandatory precondition for periodontal treatment is the patient seeking consultation about a sign or symptom recognized as abnormal. Periodontitis is a silent disease in which pathological changes take a long time before pain, discomfort, and functional disability occur [5]. People often underestimate the presence and severity of periodontal disease and seek treatment when advanced attachment loss has already occurred [6,7]
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