Self-Reported Measures of Periodontitis in a Portuguese Population: A Validation Study

Abstract

Self-reported questionnaires have been developed and validated in multiple populations as useful tools to estimate the prevalence of periodontitis in epidemiological settings. This study aimed to explore the accuracy of self-reporting for predicting the prevalence of periodontitis in a Portuguese population. The questionnaires were given to patients at a university clinic. Thirteen self-reported questions on periodontal health were gathered in a patient-reported questionnaire. Then, self-reporting responses were validated using full-mouth periodontal examination as a comparison. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, precision, and area under the curve-receiver operator characteristic (AUC-ROC). Self-reported answers from 103 participants (58 females and 45 males) were included. Self-reported gum health, loose teeth, tooth appearance, and use of dental floss were associated with different definitions of severe periodontitis. The self-reported questions on “having gum disease,” combined with “having gum treatment” and “having lost bone” were the items with higher performance for the 2018 case definition and the 2012 case definition, as well as for each respective severity staging. Categorization of tooth loss was only valuable for the prediction of periodontitis cases according to the 2012 case definition and its severe stage. Multiple self-reporting set-ups showed elevated performance levels for predicting periodontitis in Portuguese patients. These results may pave the way for future epidemiological surveillance programs using self-reporting approaches.

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“…It is also important to mention that the questionnaires of the self-report measures of periodontitis have been validated and proven to be an effective method for evaluating the prevalence of periodontitis in the population. However, it is crucial to verify the diagnosis of periodontitis through clinical observation ( 26 ).…”

“…This questionnaire accounts for three questions with a dichotomous response (Yes vs. No). It is a self-report questionnaire in order to recognise the presence of “Gum disease,” “Bone loss,” “Gum treatment,” “Loose teeth,” since they were significant questions regarding risk factors ( 26 ). The questionnaire consists of 13 questions in Portuguese: (1) Do you think you might have gum disease?…”