<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_sjph-2017-0017_s_006_w2aab2b8c15b1b7b1aab1c15b1Aa"><h3>Objective</h3><p>Aiming at preparing the basis for evidence-based dental public health policy making in Slovenia, the objective of the study was to assess the strength of association between oral health status measured by the number of missing teeth and self-rated health (SRH).</p></sec><sec id="j_sjph-2017-0017_s_007_w2aab2b8c15b1b7b1aab1c15b2Aa"><h3>Methods</h3><p>The study was designed as a pooled individual-level data study from four national cross-sectional studies carried out in the period 2001-2012, based on CINDI Health Monitor methodology. Altogether, 34,412 participants were included. A logistic regression model with poor SRH as observed outcome and the number of teeth as explanatory factor (adjusted for selected biologic, socio-economic and health factors) was proposed.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjph-2017-0017_s_008_w2aab2b8c15b1b7b1aab1c15b3Aa"><h3>Results</h3><p>In the sample, women represented 55.7% and men 44.3%, median age was 45 years. Persons with more missing teeth more likely rated their health as poor. The association was persistent even when different confounding variables were included in the model. In the group with 1-5 missing teeth, in comparison to the group with none missing teeth, OR was 1.23 (p=0.049), whereas for the group with 6-10 missing teeth, OR was 1.32 (p=0.019); for the group with >10 missing teeth, but not all, OR was 1.77 (p&lt;0.001), and for the group with all missing teeth, OR was 2.19 (p&lt;0.001).</p></sec><sec id="j_sjph-2017-0017_s_009_w2aab2b8c15b1b7b1aab1c15b4Aa"><h3>Conclusions</h3><p> Study results showed clear association of SRH with dentate status, which confirms the oral-general health connection. This indicates the need for the development of proper dental public health policies for better oral health, and presents a new view on the importance of preserving teeth.</p></sec></abstract>

ObjectiveAiming at preparing the basis for evidence-based dental public health policy making in Slovenia, the objective of the study was to assess the strength of association between oral health status measured by the number of missing teeth and self-rated health (SRH).MethodsThe study was designed as a pooled individual-level data study from four national cross-sectional studies carried out in the period 2001-2012, based on CINDI Health Monitor methodology. Altogether, 34,412 participants were included. A logistic regression model with poor SRH as observed outcome and the number of teeth as explanatory factor (adjusted for selected biologic, socio-economic and health factors) was proposed.ResultsIn the sample, women represented 55.7% and men 44.3%, median age was 45 years. Persons with more missing teeth more likely rated their health as poor. The association was persistent even when different confounding variables were included in the model. In the group with 1-5 missing teeth, in comparison to the group with none missing teeth, OR was 1.23 (p=0.049), whereas for the group with 6-10 missing teeth, OR was 1.32 (p=0.019); for the group with >10 missing teeth, but not all, OR was 1.77 (p<0.001), and for the group with all missing teeth, OR was 2.19 (p<0.001).Conclusions Study results showed clear association of SRH with dentate status, which confirms the oral-general health connection. This indicates the need for the development of proper dental public health policies for better oral health, and presents a new view on the importance of preserving teeth.

Assessment of the association between dentate status and self-rated general health

National Institute of Public Health, Regional unit Murska Sobota, Ulica arhitekta Novaka 2b, 9000 Murska Sobota,

University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Zaloška 4, 1000 Ljubljana,

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

OCENA POVEZANOSTI MED ZOBNIM STATUSOM IN SAMOOCENO SPLOŠNEGA ZDRAVJA

ObjectiveAiming at preparing the basis for evidence-based dental public health policy making in Slovenia, the objective of the study was to assess the strength...

Assessment of the association between dentate status and self-rated general health

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Feb 26, 2017

Page range: 131 - 139

Received: Mar 04, 2016

Accepted: Jan 05, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjph-2017-0017

Keywords
self-rated health, oral health, missing teeth, preserved teeth, public health policy

© National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Assessment of the association between dentate status and self-rated general health

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Feb 26, 2017

Page range: 131 - 139

Received: Mar 04, 2016

Accepted: Jan 05, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjph-2017-0017

Keywordsself-rated health, oral health, missing teeth, preserved teeth, public health policy

© National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
self-rated health, oral health, missing teeth, preserved teeth, public health policy