Exploring Patient-Reported Gingival Health in Adults Using Standardised International FDI Oral Health Observatory...

Periodontitis is known to negatively affect oral health-related quality of life. Fewer studies have considered self-reported impacts of gingival health, despite evidence it can affect most people's daily lives. Data limitations have also meant it was previously not possible to assess self-perceived gum health internationally. This study aimed to explore differences in the associations between gum health, socio-demographics, measures of health, wellbeing and oral health-related impacts in six countries using standardised international datasets among a nonprobabilistic sample of patients attending dental services.

Linked patient-reported and dentist-reported data were collected from the World Dental Federation (FDI) Oral Health Observatory. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to analyse data from China (n = 2241), Colombia (n = 1029), India (n = 999), Italy (n = 711), Japan (n = 1271) and Lebanon (n = 798). Prevalence of patients reporting spitting or seeing blood when brushing and categorical periodontal status were the dependent variables, with age, sex, education, self-rated oral and general health, wellbeing, life satisfaction and oral health-related impacts included as independent variables.

Spitting or seeing blood when brushing was associated with education in five countries, while dentist-reported periodontal status worsened with age, lower education levels and among males. Worsening of both dependent variables was associated with poorer self-rated oral and general health in all countries, having a greater effect on oral health. Mixed results were seen for the association between spitting and seeing blood and wellbeing. In all countries worsening of the dependent variables was associated with life being less satisfying. Similar patterns were seen with oral health-related impacts in most cases. Country-specific patterns and variations were also detected.

The exploratory findings can act as a basis for further research into country-specific patterns which are important for contextualising the findings, and for advocacy and understanding gingival health-related impacts and needs of patients in the countries investigated to date.

This study found a number of associations between both patient and dentist-reported gum health and socio-demographic variables, measures of wellbeing, life satisfaction and oral health-related impacts. In particular, the importance of considering patient-reported outcomes and effects on daily life should be considered alongside clinical variables.