Relationship among Sociodemographic Characteristics, General Health Behaviors, and Toothbrushing in Daejeon, South Korea / 치위생과학회지

ABSTRACT

Health behavior is one component of life style and is defined as behaviors performed by a person to protect, promote, or maintain the their health. General health behavior habits include not smoking, weight management, moderate drinking, regular exercise. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between toothbrushing and general health behaviors in 1,013 adults using data from the 2008 Daejeon Health Promotion Survey. Results showed no significant difference by region in general health behavior and toothbrushing. Smoking, alcohol consumption and toothbrushing frequency were related to sex, age, monthly income, occupation, and the degree of obesity. The predictoers of toothbrushing more than a day by losistic regression were female sex (vs. male, OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.20∼2.95), age ≥65 years (vs. twenties, OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.26∼0.99), monthly income 2 miillions Korean Won (KRW) to 3 millions KRW (vs. <2 million won, OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.04∼2.42), white collar (vs. self-employment, OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.62∼4.64), and regular exercise (vs. never, OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.21∼2.11). We recommend the independent administration of oral health promotion programs focusing on aged and vulnerable social group because general health behaviors except regular exercise were not related to toothbrushing frequency.