Self-Report Questions May Help Predict Periodontitis
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Study confirms
validity, reliability of self-report data in determining periodontal disease
prevalence in US adult population
Chicago, IL – October 28, 2013 – The use of self-report questions
may help predict the prevalence of periodontitis in US adults, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of
Periodontology (AAP). A clinical research report recently published in the Journal of Dental Research found that
self-reported measures performed well in forecasting periodontitis in a
representative sample of the US adult population.
The study
utilized eight questions developed by the CDC and AAP that address gum health
and treatment history, loose teeth, bone loss around teeth, teeth not “looking
right”, and use of dental floss and mouthwash. Responses were obtained during the
in-home interview component of the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey (NHANES). Response rates were very high, at greater than 95 percent, suggesting
that adults responded well to the questions in the survey.
Researchers
then compared the self-report data against clinically classified periodontitis assessed
during the Full Mouth Periodontal Examination (FMPE) Protocol used in the 2009-2010
NHANES to gauge predictive performance. Statistical analysis indicated that the
self-report data on gum health and treatment, bone loss and use of dental floss
was found to be effective in predicting periodontitis prevalence.
“Over half
of US adults have some form of periodontal disease, which makes periodontitis a
significant public health issue. The ability to conduct valid and reliable periodontal
disease research that demands fewer resources allows us to better understand
community-specific disease trends and essentially provide better, more
personalized treatment for patients,” explains Stuart J. Froum, DDS, President
of the American Academy of Periodontology and Director of Clinical Research in
the Department of Periodontics and Implant Dentistry at New York University
Dental Center.
The
American Academy of Periodontology supports the study’s findings that while
clinical data remain the preferred measure for surveillance of periodontitis,
self-reported measures offer an effective alternative for expanding
population-based public health research of periodontitis in the US adult
population. Due to good performance and cost-effectiveness, the self-reported
models provide a viable alternative to clinical periodontal measures in
population surveys where the latter may be impractical or cost-prohibitive. In
the future, existing interview-based surveys at the local, state and national
levels can serve as platforms for self-report-based surveillance of
periodontitis.
About
the American Academy of Periodontology:
The
American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) is the professional organization for
periodontists – specialists in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of
diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth, and in the
placement of dental implants. Periodontists are also dentistry’s experts in the
treatment of oral inflammation. They receive three additional years of
specialized training following dental school, and periodontics is one of the
nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. The AAP
has 8,300 members world-wide.
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