Validity of self-reported tooth counts and masticatory status study of a Japanese adult population

Abstract

Self-reported measures of oral health are often used to assess oral health in populations or groups, but their validity or reliability needs repeated confirmation. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the validity of self-reported tooth counts and masticatory status, using data obtained from a sample of Japanese adults. A total of 2,356 adults aged 40 to 75 years participated in a questionnaire survey and a clinical oral examination from 2013 through 2016. Self-reported measures were compared with clinically measured values. For tooth counts, mean clinical and self-reported tooth counts in all participansts were 23.68 and 23.78 teeth, and no significant difference was detected. Spearman's, Pearson's and intra-class correlation coefficients between clinical and self-reported tooth counts were 0.771, 0.845 and 0.843, respectively. According to the Bland-Altman analysis, the mean difference between clinical and self-reported tooth counts was -0.098 (95% CI: -0.242, 0.047). The upper limit of agreement was 6.919 (95% CI: 6.669, 7.169) and lower limit of agreement was -7.115 (95% CI: -7.365, -6.865). No significant fixed or proportional bias was observed. For masticatory status, the crude or age and gender adjusted mean numbers of total teeth, posterior teeth and three kinds of functional tooth units significantly decreased with the deterioration of masticatory status. The current study indicated that self-reports were within an acceptable range of clinical measures. Therefore, self-reports were considered valid alternatives to clinical measures to estimate tooth counts and masticatory status in a current Japanese adult population.

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