Attitudes to dental care, Sweden 2003-2013, and clinical correlates of oral health-related quality of life in 2013

Abstract

Objective: To investigate attitudes to dental care, and to assess possible associations with socio-economic and clinical variables over a period of ten years, and to investigate the association between OHRQoL assessed by oral impact on daily performance (OIDP), and socio-economic, dental care habits, smoking and oral status. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional studies performed in the county of Dalarna, Sweden, in 2003, 2008 and 2013. Random samples of 1,107-1,115 dentate individuals, aged 30-85 years, who answered a questionnaire and who were radiographically and clinically examined were included. Results: The importance of preventive treatment, regular recalls and meeting the same caregiver as on previous visits became less important. In individuals with alveolar bone loss, meeting the same caregiver as on previous visits was important (P