Self-efficacy and progression of periodontal disease: a prospective cohort study.
The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate whether self-efficacy scale for self-care (SESS) was related to changes in oral health behaviours and progression of periodontal disease in Japanese university students.



Students (n = 533) who were interested in receiving oral health examinations before entering the university and before graduation were included in the analysis. Self-efficacy was assessed using SESS, which uses three subscales: self-efficacy for brushing of the teeth (SE-BR), for dentist consultations (SE-DC) and for dietary habits. The informations about oral health behaviours were also collected. For all participants, oral hygiene instructions was performed at baseline. After 3 years, the oral health behaviours and the periodontal condition were re-assessed.



The progression of periodontal disease was related to low baseline SE-BR. Logistic regression analysis showed that progression of periodontal disease risk during a 3-year period was associated with low baseline SE-BR (OR: 1.516; 95% CI: 1.010-2.275; p < 0.05). The increase in the score of SE-DC was related to the increase in regular dental checkups (p < 0.05).



Low SESS was associated with progression of periodontal disease and improvement of oral health behaviours in university students who received oral hygiene instructions at baseline.
Departments of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.
Shinsuke
S
Mizutani
Departments of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.
Daisuke
D
Ekuni
Departments of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.|Advanced Research Center for Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, Okayama University Dental School, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.
Takaaki
T
Tomofuji
Departments of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.|Department of Preventive Dentistry and Dental Public Health, School of Dentistry, Aichi Gakuin University, 1-100 Kusumoto-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8650, Japan.
Koichiro
K
Irie
Departments of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.
Tetsuji
T
Azuma
Health Service Center, Okayama University, 2-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
Yoshiaki
Y
Iwasaki
Departments of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.
Manabu
M
Morita
D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009909:Oral Health; D010510:Periodontal Diseases; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020377:Self Efficacy
behaviour; cohort studies; periodontal disease; self-efficacy; university students; young adult