Oral health status of young adults in Hong Kong

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the oral health status and its associated factors of young adults in Hong Kong using Generalized Linear Models. METHODS: An oral health survey was conducted in a representative sample of 324 (male: 177 and female: 147) Hong Kong adults aged 18 years in 2007. Oral health status was assessed using DMFT score and Community Periodontal Index (CPI) following WHO recommendations. Information on oral health attitude, knowledge and behavior was also collected. Negative binomial regressions for DMFT score and the number of periodontally healthy sextants were performed. Thirteen independent variables were considered: snack frequency, toothbrushing frequency, use of fluoride, dental floss, toothpick, mouth rinse, dental visit pattern, gender, parents' highest education level, monthly household income level, dental insurance coverage, dental knowledge and attitude scores.

RESULTS: Prevalence of caries experience among the subjects was 59% and the mean DMFT score was 1.44 (DT=0.33, MT=0.01 and FT=1.11). The mean number of periodontally healthy sextants was 1.59 while mean number of sextants with CPI scores 1(bleeding), 2(calculus), and 3(shallow pocket) were 0.61, 3.76, and 0.04 respectively. Most subjects (95%) had a score of 2 as their highest CPI score. Negative binomial regression analyses revealed that subjects who had a dental visit within 3 years and those who had a monthly household income below median level had significantly higher DMFT scores (P<0.05). Subjects who brushed their teeth less frequently and those with poorer dental knowledge had significantly fewer periodontally healthy sextants (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of caries experience of the young adults in Hong Kong was not high but their periodontal condition was unsatisfactory. Their oral health status was related to their household income, dental visit behavior, oral hygiene habit, and oral health knowledge.

Supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR, China (Project No. HKU778907M).