Self-efficacy and progression of periodontal disease: a prospective cohort study

Aim 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. Material and Methods 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. Results 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