Attitudes and lifestyle factors in relation to oral health and dental care in Sweden: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate attitudes to and perceptions of dental treatment and costs, self-assessed personal oral health status and dental self-care in an adult Swedish population, with special reference to potential associations between these factors and periodontal status. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study population comprised 1577 subjects who had undergone radiographic dental examination. The subjects were grouped by severity of periodontitis, based on extent of bone loss, as none, mild/moderate or severe. Subjects answered a questionnaire about socioeconomic factors, oral care habits and attitudes to dental treatment. Other questions covered medical history, smoking and other life style factors. Associations were tested using the Chi-squared test and a logistic regression model. RESULTS: Compared to subjects with no periodontitis, those with mild/moderate or severe periodontitis were less likely to afford (p < .001), more often refrained from treatment due to costs (p < .001) and in the past year had experienced dental problems for which they had not sought treatment (p < .001). They also reported more anxiety in relation to dental appointments (p = .001). Regarding caries prevention, the severe periodontitis group used least fluoride products (p = .002). CONCLUSIONS: Swedish adults regard their oral health as important, those with periodontitis have a more negative perception of their oral health and are less prone to seek help. These discouraging findings suggest the need for targeted measures, which focus on improving the care of this group of patients.

Patient satisfaction 8-14 years after dental implant therapy - a questionnaire study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this questionnaire study was to investigate patient satisfaction 8-14 years after dental implant therapy and complications influencing the degree of satisfaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was sent by post to 587 patients at a specialist clinic of periodontology. The questionnaire consisted of 19 statements or questions such as the degree of satisfaction with the implants and knowledge of complications. In nine of the questions, respondents were asked to grade the extent of their agreement with a statement by selecting from fixed answers. Three of the questions were designed to be answered using a visual analog scale. RESULTS: In total, 400 individuals (81%) responded to the questionnaire. The mean time elapsed since implant installation was 10 years. A great majority (81%) experienced a high chewing comfort and was satisfied or sufficiently satisfied (94%) with the aesthetic aspects of their implant restorations, while 32% of the individuals had experienced problems with their implant reconstructions. The disadvantage that patients remarked on was the cost of the treatment. Those who had experienced problems with their implant reconstructions were also less satisfied with the treatment. CONCLUSION: A great majority of the patients expressed a high degree of satisfaction with their dental implants 8-14 years after the treatment. Patients were less satisfied if they had experience of problems with their implant reconstructions and in cases when the clinicians were unable to resolve their complications.

Self-reported oral health, dental care habits and cardiovascular disease in an adult Swedish population.

PURPOSE: The primary aim was to investigate the oral health; oral care habits and the ability of the participants to afford dental care in an adult Swedish population. A secondary aim was to study whether there is a relationship between dental care habits, self-reported oral health status and cardiovascular disease (CVD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The participants answered a questionnaire about the frequencies of diseases, the need for treatment and the effects of socio-economic factors on oral care habits. A questionnaire was mailed to 893 persons in 3 age groups (20-29, 50-59, and 75-84 years of age) of whom 723 replied (81.0%). RESULTS: The answers indicated that 16% had experienced dental problems without seeking help and more then 10% reported problems with chewing. In the group as a whole, 31.5% had sought no dental treatment, partly for financial reasons. When using a logistic regression model, as regards bleeding gums as a risk indicator of CVD, correcting for diabetes, education, gender, age and tobacco use, the estimated odds ratio (OR) was 1.70 (p = 0.05). The OR for those 50 years old or more was 1.79 (p = 0.05). For the oldest group alone, the OR was 2.69 (p = 0.05). The model showed an increased risk of CVD among those who had problems with their teeth without seeking help, OR 2.45 (p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study indicates that a large proportion of those answering the questionnaire had experienced dental problems without seeking help, partly for financial reasons. This group is more likely to have CVD and bleeding gums. It shows a relationship between the presence of bleeding gums and CVD, especially amongst the oldest participants.