Global Health Department Health Services Academy, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Oral Medicine Department, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
BMC Oral Health. 2024 Aug 2;24(1):883. doi: 10.1186/s12903-024-04658-z.
The study aimed to compare the self-perceived oral health status measured through a self-administered questionnaire with clinically determined oral health status measured by decayed-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) and community periodontal index of treatment need (CPITN) indices in university going females. In addition, access barriers to treatment related to oral healthcare were also determined.
A 3-month analytical cross-sectional study was designed for consenting university going females (aged 18-22 years) in Islamabad, Pakistan. The self-perceived oral health was recorded through a questionnaire requesting information regarding socio-demographics, self-perception of oral health, frequency of dental visits and barriers to seeking oral health. Seven independent examiners performed intraoral clinical examination and assessed the oral health status using globally standardized oral health assessment indices (DMFT and CPITN).
A total of 400 students were included in the final sample. The study revealed a significant disparity between self-perceived oral health and clinical assessment. Although perceived oral health was considered "good" by 80.0% of the respondents, clinical examination revealed moderate DMFT scores (mean 2.95 ± 1.41) and periodontal disease requiring treatment in 89.5% of the individuals. The most common barriers in seeking dental care were lack of knowledge, dental phobia, affordability issue and false self-perception.
The present study demonstrated a notable discrepancy between self-perception of oral health and clinically assessed oral health. These results emphasize the importance of focused educational programs and community outreach programs, especially directed towards this demographic. Prioritizing such initiatives will help individuals to recognize their actual oral health condition thus encouraging positive oral health behaviors and outcomes.
本研究旨在比较通过自我管理问卷测量的自我感知口腔健康状况与通过龋齿-失牙-补牙（DMFT）和社区牙周治疗需求指数（CPITN）临床确定的口腔健康状况，并确定与口腔保健相关的治疗障碍。
设计了一项为期 3 个月的分析性横断面研究，纳入巴基斯坦伊斯兰堡的志愿大学生女性（年龄 18-22 岁）。通过问卷记录自我感知的口腔健康状况，问卷中要求提供社会人口统计学信息、自我感知的口腔健康状况、就诊频率以及寻求口腔健康的障碍。7 名独立检查者进行了口腔内部临床检查，并使用全球标准化口腔健康评估指数（DMFT 和 CPITN）评估口腔健康状况。
共有 400 名学生被纳入最终样本。研究显示，自我感知的口腔健康与临床评估之间存在显著差异。尽管 80.0%的受访者认为自己的口腔健康“良好”，但临床检查显示中度 DMFT 评分（平均值 2.95±1.41）和 89.5%的个体需要治疗牙周病。寻求牙科护理的最常见障碍是缺乏知识、牙科恐惧症、负担能力问题和错误的自我认知。
本研究表明，自我感知的口腔健康与临床评估的口腔健康之间存在显著差异。这些结果强调了有针对性的教育计划和社区外展计划的重要性，特别是针对这一人群。优先考虑这些举措将帮助个人认识到自己的实际口腔健康状况，从而鼓励积极的口腔健康行为和结果。
