Influence of lifestyle on oral health behavior among rural residents of Udaipur district, India

Sharif R, Suleman G, Das G, Alam MK, Ahmed N. The Association of Socioeconomic and Lifestyle Factors with the Oral Health Status in School-Age Children from Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

The data on how lifestyle factors of school-going children affect their oral health are not sufficient; therefore, there is a need to analyze the adverse effects of poor lifestyle habits and the role of mothers' education on oral health. The aim of this study was to analyze the association of socioeconomic and lifestyle factors with the oral health status of school-going children through a structured questionnaire and oral examination. Ninety-five (26.5%) children were from class 1. One hundred eighty-seven (52.1%) mothers were educated while 172 (47.9%) were uneducated. Two hundred seventy-six (76.9%) children had never visited the dentist. The results indicate that dental health behavior is associated with lifestyle factors as well as socio-demographic variables. Parent education and awareness regarding oral health plays a major role in determining the oral health of children.

Oral health and quality of life in the municipal senior citizen's social clubs for people over 65 of Valencia, Spain

Background

The world population is aging considerably. The state of elderly´s dentition is poor. Many authors agree that the oral health status influence the elderly´s quality of life.The objective of our study was to analyze the relation between the oral health status and the general health status through the quality of life of elderly people aged 65 years or more in Valencia, Spain.

Material and Methods

A cross-sectional oral health survey and an oral examination have been designed to study an elderly population. Subjects: 202 adults (103 men and 99 women). Age: 65 years of age and over. Setting: Randomly selected senior citizen´s social clubs. The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) has been used to obtain the oral health survey. Moreover, the EuroQol-5d and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) have been the tools to obtain the general health status. Finally, sociodemographic and oral health questions have been needed.

Results

Descriptive and inferential results have been done and the main results are the following, the mean additive score of the OHIP-14 was 8.88, the mean value of the EuroQol-5d was 0.58 and of the VAS, 72.90. The OHIP-14 was consistently and significantly correlated with the index EuroQol-5d and with variables such as number of teeth, missing teeth, DMFT, dental status (being or not edentulous) and occupation. The EuroQol-5d was related to dental habits, sex, income, systemic pathologies and filled teeth.

Conclusions

The oral health has a high impact on quality of life. The oral health and the general health are closely related. The oral hygiene and getting toothless influence negatively on the quality of life of elderly people.

Key words:Elderly, geriatric dentistry, oral health, oral hygiene, quality of life.

Oral hygiene practices and their socio-demographic correlates among Nepalese adult: evidence from non communicable diseases risk factors STEPS survey Nepal 2013

Background

Oral diseases remain a significant public health problem in Nepal, as do oral health behaviours. Socio-demographic factors play a crucial role in driving oral hygiene practices. This study aims to identify oral hygiene practices and associated socio-demographic factors in Nepalese population.

Methods

This descriptive, cross-sectional study recruited 4200 adults (15–69 years) through multistage cluster sampling. Data obtained from the WHO NCD STEPS instrument version 2.2 were analysed in STATA 13.0 using complex sample weighted analysis.

Results

Prevalence of cleaning teeth at least once a day was 94.9 % (95 % CI: 93.7–95.9), while that of cleaning teeth at least twice a day was 9.9 % (95 % CI: 8.2–11.9). Use of fluoridated toothpaste was seen among 71.4 % (95 % CI: 67.9–74.7) respondents. A 3.9 % (95 % CI: 3.1–5.0) made a dental visit in the last 6 months.

The 45–69 years age group had lesser odds of cleaning teeth at least once a day (AOR: 0.4; 95 % CI: 0.2–0.8), in comparison to 15–29 years age group. Women had greater odds of cleaning teeth at least twice a day (AOR: 1.7; 95 % CI: 1.1–2.4) and having visited a dentist in the last 6 months (AOR: 2.2; 95 % CI: 1.2–3.8) compared to men. With reference to rural residents, urban population had higher odds of using fluoridated toothpaste (AOR: 2.3; 95 % CI: 1.4–3.4) and making a dental visit within the last 6 months (AOR: 1.9; 95 % CI:1.1–3.6). Inhabitants of the Terai had five-fold (AOR: 4.9; 95 % CI: 3.1–7.8) greater odds of cleaning teeth once per day than did hill residents. Those with higher education had greater odds than non-formal education holders of cleaning teeth at least once a day (AOR: 9.0; 95 % CI: 2.9–27.7), cleaning teeth at least twice a day (AOR: 5.6; 95 % CI: 2.9–10.6), using fluoridated toothpaste (AOR: 13.9; 95 % CI: 8.4–23.1), and having visited a dentist in the last 6 months (AOR: 2.8; 95 % CI: 1.4–5.4).

Conclusions

Cleaning teeth at least once a day is widely prevalent in Nepal and a substantial number of population use fluoridated toothpaste. However, cleaning teeth twice a day and visiting a dentist is less common. Being women, Terai residents, urban residents, and educated were significantly associated with oral hygiene practices assessed in this study.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12903-016-0294-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Descriptive analysis of toothbrushing used as an aid for primary prevention: a population-based study in Sebha, Libya

This study aimed to assess toothbrushing behavior and descriptively analyze the effect of age and gender. Two thousand and six people from the city of Sebha, Libya, aged 1 to 64 years (mean age 26.9 ± 11.6 years, 1,463 females and 543 males) constituted the study sample. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Overall, 85.3% were using a toothbrush and toothpaste as a cleaning aid, whereas 6.3% never brushed their teeth. Only 36.1% brushed twice daily. Age and gender were significantly associated with use of a toothbrush and frequency of toothbrushing. This data serves as a baseline to implement a "preventive self-care instruction program."

Barriers to dental visits in Belgium: a secondary analysis of the 2004 National Health Interview Survey

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to identify barriers to annual dental visits in the Belgian population.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected through the 2004 National Health Interview Survey in Belgium. Only respondents aged 15 years and older with complete information on dental consultations and the independent variables (n = 5940) were considered in this analysis. The associations between the lack of dental visits during the 12 months preceding the survey and covariates of interest were examined using a multivariable logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Almost one-half of the respondents (49.7 percent) did not visit a dentist in the 12 months prior to the survey. Region of residence was significantly the common variable for the three age categories. In the 15- to 34-year-old category, males and two-person households were significantly less likely to report a dental visit during the 12 months preceding the survey. For the 35- to 54-year-old category, a low level of education was the covariate associated with the lack of dental visit. In the 55 years or older category, the factors associated with the lack of a dental visit in the 12 months prior to the survey were: male gender, low level of education, low household income, low weekly alcohol consumption, current smoker, and body mass index of ≥ 25 mg/kg(2).

CONCLUSION

Barriers to dental visits in Belgium differ among age groups and are linked to personal and environmental factors. The findings confirm the existence of social health inequalities in dental visits among Belgian people.