March 2018

Volume 35, Issue 1

Illness perceptions amongst individuals with dental caries

Authors: A.C. Mafla F.H. Villalobos-Galvis M.W. Heft
doi: 10.1922/CDH_4098Mafla07

Abstract

Objective: To assess individuals’ perception of dental caries, in order to explain how illness representations might influence their coping with the disease. Methods: Cross-sectional questionnaire study. Participants: 520 consecutive patients (aged ≥18 years) of the General Dentistry Clinic at Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Pasto, Colombia who had experienced dental caries. Main Outcome Measures: Illness perception of dental caries was assessed using the Illness Perception Questionnaire Revised (IPQ-R). Results: The most frequent self-reported symptoms associated with dental caries were “toothache” (56.2%), “tooth sensitivity” (53.8%) and “mild to sharp pain when eating or drinking” (51.2%). The dimensions of illness perception were related to socio-economic status (SES). Symptoms of “loose or separating teeth” and “pus in your tooth” were associated with dental caries by low SES participants, while “bleeding while brushing, flossing or eating hard food” and “mild to sharp pain when eating or drinking something sweet, hot or cold” were related more to higher SES. Conclusions: Perceptions of caries were related to socioeconomic status. Interventions to promote health literacy in order to improve the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic oral health information could increase an early detection of caries. Key words: dental caries, perception, attitudes, health belief, health behaviour, socioeconomic status, Colombia

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Other articles in this issue

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Editorial 3-4 Download
Review and action plan for oral health improvement in Sheffield special schools 5-8 Download
Impact of stress on dentists’ clinical performance. A systematic review 9-15 Download
Illness perceptions amongst individuals with dental caries 16-22 Download
The relationship between depression and periodontal diseases 23-29 Download
The use of cost-utility analysis for the evaluation of caries prevention: an exploratory case study of two community-based public health interventions in a high-risk population in the UK 30-36 Download
A systematic review of interventions using cue-automaticity to improve the uptake of preventive healthcare in adults: applications to dental visiting 37-46 Download
Turkish Adaptation of Dentine Hypersensitivity Experience Questionnaire (DHEQ) 47-51 Download
Recall intervals and time used for examination and prevention by dentists in child dental care in Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden in 1996 and 2014 52-57 Download
Obesity and dental caries in young children in Plymouth, United Kingdom: A Spatial Analysis 58-64 Download

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