Tania; (2016) Association between dental attendance patterns and oral health in a national sample of British adults. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

Background: Most dental health policies encourage people to attend a dentist regularly for check-ups on the assumption that such behaviours will improve oral health. The studies about dental attendance mainly focus on the time-interval between the check-ups rather than the nature of the visit. There is a lack of studies to evaluate the association of the nature and frequency of dental attendance with clinical and subjective oral health related quality of life measures. Aim: To assess the relationship between the nature and frequency of dental attendance, and clinical and subjective oral health status including oral health related quality of life. Methods: Secondary data analysis of 5,518 dentate adults from the Adult Dental Health Survey 2009 was conducted to assess the nature and frequency of dental attendance with clinical (functional dentition, decayed teeth, gingival bleeding, calculus, pocket depth, Pulp Ulceration Fistula Abscess symptoms) and subjective (self-rated oral health and oral health related quality of life) oral health outcome measures. Bivariate and multivariable robust poisson regressions were conducted, sequentially adjusting for covariates (demographic, socio-economic, other oral health behaviours; the models for self-rated oral health and oral health related quality of life were also adjusted for clinical oral health). Results: In the fully adjusted models, dental attendance (both nature and frequency) was positively associated with different oral health measures. Adults that generally attended for a check-up had 1.33 (1.24,1.42) times higher probability to be free from decay compared 4 respectively to those attending only when in trouble. Those that attended in the last two years had 1.34 (1.26,1.44) times higher probability than non-attenders in the last two years. Similar risk ratios were obtained for absence of gingival bleeding and calculus, as well as for self-rated oral health, while the respective associations for functional dentition, pocket depth, Pulp Ulceration Fistula Abscess, and oral health related quality of life were much weaker. The adjustment process resulted in minor attenuation of the unadjusted estimates but remained significant. Conclusions: Overall, the results found some evidence that good dental attendance patterns are linked to favourable clinical and subjective oral health, with behavioural factors playing a role. These findings may have implications for those involved in oral health promotion and oral health education strategies, to encourage preventive healthy behaviours.

Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Title:	Association between dental attendance patterns and oral health in a national sample of British adults
Language:	English
UCL classification:	UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health
URI:	https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1501157

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