PRECEDE-PROCEED model based questionnaire and saliva tests for oral health checkup in adult.

Screening is a fundamental strategy for early detection, treatment, and prevention of progression of oral disease and those at high risk for oral disease. While numerous screening tools exist, questionnaires, and saliva tests are often suitable for screening. The questionnaire based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model was developed, validated, and elucidated on the structural interrelationship between these two methods. In the current investigation, 311 adults had this questionnaire and saliva testing administered simultaneously during an occupational health checkup. The questionnaire was validated by classical test theory, item response theory, and path analysis. Through structural equation modeling, it was found that self-care guidance may be an important role of the family dentist. In addition, self-awareness of oral symptoms was significantly related to saliva test results. However, self-administered questionnaires and saliva tests together may provide more information than either of them alone for the detection, treatment, and prevention of progression of oral disease. Thus, simultaneous application of self-administered questionnaires and saliva tests is recommended during oral health checkups for adults.

Association of periodontitis with increased white blood cell count and blood pressure.

This study was aimed to examine the association of periodontitis with white blood cell (WBC) count and blood pressure (BP). In 2002, 424 subjects (manufacturing workers) were investigated for periodontitis by a general dentist. All were Japanese. Among them, 364 subjects (269 men and 95 women) who also attended the next year's (2003) screening were enrolled for this study. Of the 364 subjects, 55 (15.1%) had periodontitis. We also measured the BP and WBC count in periodontitis and non-periodontitis subjects at baseline and 1-year later follow-up. The WBC count higher in subjects with periodontitis than in subjects without periodontitis, both at baseline [mean +/- standard error (SE) 6.6 x 10(3) +/- 0.2 x 10(3)/ml vs 5.8 +/- 0.3 x 10(3)/ml; p < 0.001] and follow-up (7.0 +/- 0.3(3)/ml vs 6.5 +/- 0.1(3)/ml; p = 0.003). The systolic BP was higher in subjects with periodontitis than in subjects without periodontitis, both at the baseline (128 +/- 2.1 mmHg vs 120.8 +/- 0.8 mmHg; p < 0.001) and follow-up (129.2 +/- 2.3 mmHg vs 123.0 +/- 0.8 mmHg; p = 0.011), and so was the diastolic BP both at baseline (76 +/- 1.5 mmHg vs 71.2 +/- 0.6 mmHg; p = 0.003) and follow-up (80.5 +/- 1.7 mmHg vs 75.4 +/- 0.7 mmHg; p = 0.004). Periodontitis is associated with increased BP and WBC count. This finding may provide one underlying pathway linking periodontitis and cardiovascular disease.