Periodontal awareness and what it actually means: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Objectives To assess periodontal awareness among laypersons, to characterize the very aware of periodontitis and to disclose whether high awareness implies sufficient periodontal knowledge. Subjects and methods Cross‐sectional study on laypersons randomly selected by quota sampling from March 2015 to June 2016. The questionnaire of periodontal awareness included aspects of aetiology, risk factors, signs and symptoms, related risks, prevention, treatment and related attitudes. It was applied by 12 interviewers in the community in each four province capitals, in a sort of pathfinder survey method. Results A 43.3% response rate was obtained, and 3,553 people entered the study. “Very aware”: 19.4%. “Aware”: 42.7%. “Not aware”: 37.9%. Age, oral self‐care and educational achievements characterized those “very aware.” Any additional degree beyond compulsory education halves the chances for being “not periodontally aware.” Very aware people likely to have periodontitis were elder, less educated, with a smoking history and less knowledge of the disease. Gaps of knowledge among the “very aware” were identified in all aspects except for “prevention” and “treatment.”. Conclusions Very periodontally aware people were in their late 40–60 s, followed sound oral care routines and held a degree but elicited insufficient knowledge about aetiology, signs‐symptoms, related risks or periodontal risk factors.

Oral hygiene habits. Results of a population-based study

“…Se recogieron las variables demográficas sexo (hombre, mujer) y edad (18-34, 35-44, 45-65 y >65). Se consideraron tres niveles de alerta ante la enfermedad periodontal: ausencia de alerta (el participante no conoce la enfermedad a pesar de presentarle una definición y descripción de sus características en lenguaje llano); alerta (reconoce la enfermedad después de presentarle una definición y descripción de sus características en lenguaje llano); y muy alerta (reconoce la enfermedad) 10 . También se recogió el nivel de estudios alcanzado (obligatorios, formación profesional, bachillerato, universidad) y el hábito tabáquico (fumador, ex fumador, no fumador).…”

“…La periodicidad de visitas al odontólogo se clasificó en cuatro categorías (cada seis meses, cada año, cuando duele, cuando hace falta) y se recodificó en dos (al menos una vez al año / adecuada, menos de una vez al año). La variable objetivo de este estudio fue el hábito de higiene oral, categorizado en: cepillado dental (manual o eléctrico) e higiene interdental (hilo dental o cepillos interdentales) al menos una vez al día (I), cepillado al menos una vez al día (II), y cepillado menos de una vez al día (III) 10 . También se registró el uso de otros elementos de higiene oral como colutorio, cepillos linguales o irrigadores.…”

“…Por ello, y como objetivo secundario de un diseño encaminado a determinar el grado de alerta poblacional ante la enfermedad periodontal 10 , el objetivo del presente estudio fue valorar los hábitos de higiene oral referidos por la población adulta en Galicia.…”

Oral Health and Cardiovascular Disease: Mapping Clinical Heterogeneity and Methodological Gaps

“…As patients may need more information about the potential links between “gum disease” and “cardiovascular disease,” clinicians can use the results of this systematic mapping review to explain the nature of these associations and their relevance to their patients. Using this systematic mapping review, clinicians will be able to specify which aspects of “gum disease” are associated with “cardiovascular disease” and the different meanings of “cardiovascular disease” (Paquette et al 2015; Varela-Centelles et al 2016, 2019). On the other hand, researchers need to be aware of the substantial clinical heterogeneity in previous research, which requires great caution when conducting meta-analyses and interpreting their findings.…”

Regular dental attendance and periodontal health knowledge: A cross‐sectional survey

“…This instrument was used in previous studies in Spain (Varela‐Centelles et al, , ) and included 24 questions. Fifteen of them were used in this survey to suit the purposes of investigating knowledge about periodontal disease, its aetiology, signs and symptoms as well as its related factors: 3 about socio‐demographic features (age, gender and educational level completed: compulsory education (10 years), high school (14 years), vocational training (12–14 years) university degree (17–20 years)), 2 about routines and habits (oral self‐care and dental visits), 2 about periodontal status (current bleeding gums when brushing and tooth mobility) and 8 about periodontal health knowledge (heard about periodontitis, aetiology, risk factors, health problems related to PDs, periodontitis signs/symptoms, bleeding when brushing is normal, periodontitis can be treated, periodontitis can be prevented).…”