Elderly with high level of self-efficacy have good gingival health, finds study

Results

• 614 participants [mean age 68.07 (5.99) years] were recruited.
• There was a high level of dental awareness and nearly 70% of the participants reported visiting a dentist once or twice a year.
• Self-efficacy was associated with levels of bleeding on probing and self-reported satisfaction with oral health. Nearly 60% of participants were not willing to pay for preventive advice from an oral healthcare professional.

Thus, Older adults with a high level of self-efficacy had good gingival health, with low reported levels of bleeding on probing. Participants with low reported self-efficacy had higher disease levels and were less satisfied with their oral health. Self-efficacy in relation to oral hygiene practices is variable, and participants with low self-efficacy had higher gingival bleeding scores. However, willingness to pay for preventive advice is low, and further work is required to increase the value proposition of preventive care to older adults.

Reference:

The relationship between self-efficacy and oral health status of older adults by Finbarr Allen et al. published in the Journal of Dentistry

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2022.104085