BACKGROUND: We investigated the association between psychological distress and oral health status/oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) in Japanese community-dwelling people. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Nagasaki Islands Study. A total of 1183 (455 men and 728 women) has been analyzed in this study. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Oral health status was measured by dental examination. The OHQoL was measured using the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). We defined the total score of ≥5 points on the K6 as high psychological distress (high-K6 group). RESULTS: The multiple linear regression analysis to identify the GOHAI showed that gender, K6, the total number of teeth, the number of dental caries, and visiting a dental clinic within the past 6 months significantly associated with the GOHAI. Among all of these variables, high-K6 (≥ 5) was a substantial contributing factor of the GOHAI (β = - 0.23, 95% Cl - 2.31 to -1.41, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS It is likely that the individual with high psychological distress was strongly related to poor OHQoL even in the general population.
Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dental Caries/epidemiology* ; Female ; Humans ; Independent Living/statistics & numerical data* ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Linear Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oral Health/statistics & numerical data* ; Quality of Life/psychology* ; Sex Factors ; Stress, Psychological/epidemiology*

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to survey the need, the utilization, and the influencing factors of dental services for children in selected areas in Chongqing province by investigating their oral health status. The survey will provide references for preventive oral health care in targeted Chongqing areas, which may improve the level of oral health among pre-school children. METHODS: Random cluster sampling was utilized according to standards of the Fourth National Oral Health Epidemiological sampling survey, and 1 300 children between the ages of three and four years old from 24 kindergartens in 12 subdistricts of three areas in Chongqing were interviewed for free dental checkups and to participate in the survey. The questionnaires were designed according to the Anderson model and were answered by the children's parents. The results were analyzed utilizing Chi-square test logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of caries among the pre-school children in selected areas of Chongqing was 55.4%, the decay, missing, filled surface (dmfs) was 6 696, the mean dmfs was 5.2, and the caries filling constituent ratio was 2.3%. A total of 1 173 questionnaires were analyzed. The ratio for seeing a dentist for therapeutic reasons was 6.31% (74/1 173) and for prevalence was 22.93% (269/1 173). CONCLUSIONS The oral health service needs of pre-school children in selected areas of Chongqing are large and the oral health service utilization rate is low. Oral health care processes are arduous; thus, targeted oral prevention policies should be created.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dental Care ; statistics & numerical data ; Dental Caries ; Dental Health Surveys ; Humans ; Oral Health ; Prevalence

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare scaling rates in 16 cities and provinces using data from the Community Health Survey (CHS) and National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). METHODS: This study involved cross-sectional secondary data analysis. A total of 16,646,190 subjects who participated in the CHS and 218,184 subjects in the NHIS were included in the final analysis. The dependent variable was the scaling rate, and the independent variables were sex, age, and 16 regions. The study included individuals aged 19 years or older who received scaling between August 2014 and August 2015 in the past year in the CHS and codes U2232 (scaling) and U2233 (scaling before periodontal treatment) in the NHIS. The total scaling rates were compared between the CHS and NHIS. The differences in scaling rates according to sex, age, and 16 regions were analyzed. RESULTS: The CHS (42.6%) scaling rates were 17.5% higher than the NHIS (25.1%) scaling rates in 16 regions in 2015. The median in the CHS data was in Busan (41.5%), while that in the NHIS data was in Jeonbuk (23.5%). There was no significant difference between scaling rates above and below the median region in the CHS and NHIS. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that CHS data, which show a higher rate, should be used to assess and monitor the dental needs of community residents. NHIS data should be used to evaluate community oral health projects. It is necessary to develop health indicators for the community oral health project of input, process, and outcome evaluation.
Busan ; Dental Scaling ; Health Surveys ; Jeollabuk-do ; National Health Programs ; Oral Health ; Statistics as Topic

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze correlations between depression, cognitive function, oral health state, ability to perform activities of daily living, oral dryness symptoms, and oral health-related quality of life, and determine factors influencing the latter.METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study based on questionnaires completed by 260 participants with suspected dementia, residing in South Korea. Psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, and dental hygienists visited clinics in the participating regions for examination and questionnaire administration. General characteristics, the geriatric depression scale, ability to perform activities of daily living, cognitive function, oral health state, and oral health-related quality of life were analyzed. Independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted, identifying factors affecting oral health-related quality of life. Data analysis was performed using SPSS ver. 20.0 (IBM Corp., USA), and the significance was set at p<0.05.RESULTS: Approximately 65.0% of participants were female, 63.5% were in their 70s, and 90.0% had health insurance. About 21.5%, 42.0%, and 36.5% were normal, slightly impaired, and had dementia, respectively. High cognitive impairment was associated with poor oral health. Sex, education levels, marital status, and living arrangements influenced oral health-related quality of life. According to the regression analysis, geriatric depression and oral dryness affected the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index scores.CONCLUSION: In conclusion, oral dryness and depression levels among elders influenced oral health-related quality of life. The results showed that to enhance elders' oral health-related quality of life, it is essential to not only improve their oral health state, but also relieve oral health problems, especially oral dryness, and take into consideration their psychological aspects.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Cognition ; Cognition Disorders ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dementia ; Dental Hygienists ; Depression ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Marital Status ; Oral Health ; Psychiatry ; Quality of Life ; Residence Characteristics ; Statistics as Topic

BACKGROUND: Dental caries is a preventable childhood disease, but public health efforts are hampered due to limited information on associated factors in vulnerable populations. Our study was aimed at estimating the prevalence of dental caries and identifying key associated factors in four major risk domains, including socioeconomic factors, child oral health behavior and practices, child feeding practices, and dietary habits among primary school children in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was used to recruit 578 male Saudi primary school children, aged 6-8 years, from 12 primary schools in five different regions of Riyadh. Children were clinically screened to detect carious lesions in primary teeth according to World Health Organization's criteria. Structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on social and individual factors from the parents. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of associated factors for dental caries were computed using logistic regression models; key factors were identified by systematic selection process that accounted for multicollinearity and bias correction. RESULTS: Dental caries was prevalent among children (83%, 95% confidence interval 79.7-86.0%). Individual factors, including irregular brushing, late adoption of brushing habit, consulting dentist for symptomatic treatment, lack of breast feeding, sleeping with a bottle in mouth, habit of snacking between meals, low consumption of fruits, and frequent consumption of soft drinks and flavored milk, were predominantly associated with dental caries in children, instead of socioeconomic factors (p < 0.05, adjusted R-square 80%). CONCLUSION Dental caries were prevalent in school children, and individual factors were predominantly associated with the disease.
Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dental Caries ; epidemiology ; Diet ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; Male ; Oral Health ; statistics & numerical data ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Saudi Arabia ; epidemiology ; Socioeconomic Factors

BACKGROUND: Early childhood caries (ECC) affects children across Japan and throughout the world. Thus, it is important to identify dietary and dental care habits that either promote oral health or cause ECC. The objective of this study was to identify protective and risk factors associated with ECC in Japan. METHODS: In a typical rural Japanese community, we selected children born between 2004 and 2008 who had received checkups at their community health center including oral examinations conducted by dentists. We obtained data from children's records and from a questionnaire filled out by parents. We enrolled only children who at their checkup for 18-month-olds had no caries, and we obtained data about them at their checkup for 3-year-olds. We classified children as either having caries (treated or untreated) or being caries-free. We conducted bivariate analyses using data on child/family demographic characteristics, child's dietary habits, and child/parental oral health habits. We also conducted logistic regression analysis to control for variables and identify predictors of the presence/absence of caries. RESULTS: Five hundred sixty six children (278 boys, 288 girls) were enrolled and followed. After 2 years, 173 children (30.6%) presented with caries. Logistic regression analysis predicting caries at follow-up identified the interaction term "bottlefed overnight and brushed irregularly" at 18 months of age as a highly significant predictor of developing caries-adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 14.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-199.71. Two variables measured at follow-up were also significant predictors: having low levels of dental plaque (AOR 2.41, 95% CI 1.34-4.35) and having a mother who had untreated caries (AOR 1.84, 95% CI 1.09-3.12). CONCLUSION Public health efforts should encourage parents to eliminate bottle feeding overnight and promote brushing twice daily as children's teeth begin to erupt. Greater efforts should be made to teach parents and daytime caregivers how to brush effectively to remove all plaque. Health professionals should pay close attention to mothers' oral health status. Mothers with caries should receive prompt treatment and be assisted in developing better dietary and oral health habits that will benefit themselves and their children. Policies and programs should focus more on family oral health rather than just child oral health.
Dental Caries ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Home Care Services ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Japan ; epidemiology ; Male ; Oral Health ; statistics & numerical data ; Prevalence ; Protective Factors ; Risk Factors

The aim of this study was to identify bibliographic characteristics and research trends of articles published on the elderly people in dental hygiene. An analysis was done of 191 articles published from 1999 to 2017. Bibliographic characteristics were nine items such as publication journal, research design, research participants, number of researchers, data analysis method, keywords, research topic, and validity and reliability report. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of statistical program. First, the research on the elderly, which was published in dental hygiene, started to be published in 1999 and on going. Though major publications have been published in Journal of Korean Society of Dental Hygiene and Journal of Dental Hygiene Science, the kinds of journals are becoming diverse. Second, cross-sectional research was the most. Third, the elderly were the most studied subjects, but the criteria varied. Fourth, the number of authors was largest in order of two and three person. Fifth, data analysis method was in order of descriptive statistics, t-test, and ANOVA. Sixth, there were many duplication of keywords about oral, elderly, and health. Seventh, oral health behavior science was the most studied subject. Eighth, validity and reliability were reported at 27.4% and 51.6%, respectively. Ninth, only 15.7% of study was founded research funding. Based on the results of this study, we consider increase experimental research further. Therefore, it is recommeded that validity and reliability should be reported in research paper, and the keywords used in the field of dental hygiene should be agreed upon.
Aged* ; Financial Management ; Humans ; Methods ; Oral Health ; Oral Hygiene* ; Publications ; Reproducibility of Results ; Research Design ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify associated factors of chewing discomfort among community-dwelling elderly. METHODS: The study was cross-sectional design and secondary data analysis using the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Among the total of 7,550 participants, data was analyzed with 1,126 adults aged 65 years and over. Chewing discomfort was assessed by the perceived chewing discomfort. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find the associated factors of chewing discomfort. RESULTS: Along with 61.7% of the participants reported having chewing discomfort, 85.2% reported to perceive poor oral health and 35.0% had oral pain. In multivariate logistic regression, perceived oral health (OR 3.22, 95% CI 2.24~4.63), oral pain (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.76~3.43), activity limitation (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.05~2.80), teeth requiring treatment (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.14~2.26), number of remaining teeth (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.22~2.10) and educational level (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.15~2.12) were the significant predictors of chewing discomfort. CONCLUSION: The prevalence in chewing discomfort was high in elderly Koreans and various factors were associated with chewing discomfort. To improve chewing ability, it is suggested that the national level of policies offer strategical oral health programs in this population.
Adult ; Aged* ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mastication* ; Nutrition Surveys ; Oral Health ; Prevalence ; Statistics as Topic ; Tooth

OBJECTIVES: The present study examines the relationship between depressive symptoms and subjective chewing and pronunciation ability in Korean seniors. Our goal is to provide the data required to develop appropriate oral health interventions programs for seniors. METHODS: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) is widely used depressive symptoms assessment. A Korean version was used for the 2009 Community Health Survey, which was consulted to extract the present study's subjects, comprising 50,694 Korean seniors (males, 20,582; females, 30,112) aged ≥65 years. Those with a CES-D score ≥16 were rated 'depressed.' SAS version 9.3 was used for the data analysis. RESULTS: Prevalence of depressive symptoms increased as the subjects' socioeconomic status decreased, number of health issues increased, health behavior worsened, and chewing and pronunciation discomfort increased. Males with chewing difficulties were found to have 1.45 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29 to 1.63) greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without, while males with pronunciation discomfort were found to have 1.97 times greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without (95% CI, 1.76 to 2.20). Females with chewing difficulty were found to have 1.50 times (95% CI, 1.39 to 1.61) greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without, and females with pronunciation discomfort were found to have 1.55 times greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without (95% CI, 1.44 to 1.67). CONCLUSIONS: Intervention programs designed to help with oral health management and alleviate depressive symptoms in seniors are urgently needed. As the prevalence of depressive symptoms may vary geographically, research examining potential variance at city, district, and town levels would be beneficial.
Aged* ; Depression* ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Mastication* ; Oral Health ; Prevalence ; Social Class ; Statistics as Topic

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to understand the dental caries pattern in permanent dentition among Korean adolescents aged 12-16 years. METHODS: This study comprised 5,301 teenagers, aged 12-16 years. We analyzed the dental caries pattern in patients with permanent dentition using data from the 2006 Korean National Oral Health Survey. The methods used for data analysis included frequency analysis, correlation analysis, cluster analysis, and multidimensional scaling (MDS). RESULTS: With cluster analysis, it was difficult to clearly distinguish between anterior and posterior caries, and categorization was difficult owing to the mandibular first premolar and maxillary lateral incisor. The molars had severe caries, and results of the cluster analysis categorized this as clusters independent from other teeth; therefore, efforts must be made to prevent dental caries in molars. The maxillary premolars had the highest incidence of caries followed by the molars, and accordingly, these formed independent clusters, with the exception of the molar. During the eruption stage, despite the secondary premolar erupting later than the first premolar, there was a higher caries incidence in the secondary premolar. Out of the anterior teeth, the maxillary later incisor had the highest incidence of caries and formed an independent cluster. The multidimensional scaling (MDS) results clearly showed the molar teeth cluster. CONCLUSIONS: For epidemiological research on dental caries, a caries pattern analysis should be conducted, and information on the caries pattern in permanent dentition can be used for the prevention and management of dental caries.
Adolescent* ; Bicuspid ; Cluster Analysis ; Dental Caries* ; Dentition, Permanent* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Incisor ; Molar ; Oral Health ; Statistics as Topic ; Tooth