September 2023

Objective: To assess Mashhad residents’ self-perceived oral health level (OHL) and behaviors in relation to their perceptions of those of their fellow citizens. Methods: Cross-sectional telephone survey of 384 individuals recruited from communication centers. The interviews followed a validated Persian schedule with three main sections: 1) background information, 2) questions regarding self-reported OHL, and 3) questions regarding respondents’ perceptions of the OHL of their fellow citizens. Results: Participants’ mean self-rated OHL and tooth brushing frequency were higher than those of their fellow citizens. The correlation between self-reported and the estimated decayed and missing (DMT) was highest in the middle and lowest in the upper classes. Perceptions of the self- and others’ OHL and DMT were positively correlated, with the latter being more so. Education level, age, and tooth brushing frequency affected self-perceived OHL and DMT. Conclusion: Participants’ perceived OHL could be explained by their estimation of the general population’s oral health. These findings suggest that social norm interventions could nudge improving oral health behaviors. Keywords: oral health, self-perception, health literacy, social norm, nudge theory, telephone interview