Are routine dental check-ups associated with better health outcomes among US adults?

1
Are routine dental check-ups associated with
better health outcomes among US adults?

• Chao Sun, MD, MPH V. James Guillory, DO, MPH
  Paul Dew, MD, MPH. Dept. Of Preventive Medicine,
  University of Health Sciences, Kansas City,
  Missouri

2
Background(1)

• How oral health affects quality of life
• Oral pain
• Difficulty eating
• Total tooth loss
• Use of dentures
• Multiple medications
• Diseases related to the mouth

3
Background(2)

• The American Dental Association recommendation
• Brushing and flossing
• Regular dental visits
• The Healthy People 2010 objective
• Increase the proportion of dental care
  utilization
• 56 of persons(gt2yrs) have access to see
  dentists

4
Background(3)

• Challenge to meet the objective
• Overlooked issue
• Beneficial evidence
• Risk factors
• Behavioral change

5
Purpose of the study

• The purpose of this study was to assess if
  routine dental check-ups are associated with
  better health outcomes among US adults

6
Methods(1)

• Data source
• The 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
• Study population
• Adults aged 18 and older
• Measure of variables (1)
• Routine dental check-ups

7
Methods(2)

• Measures of variables (2)
• Health outcomes
• 1. Emergency room visits
• 2. Perceived health status
• 3. Wearing dentures
• 4. Lost all adult teeth

8
Methods(3)

• Socio-demographic factors
• Age, sex, race, education health insurance
• Statistical analysis
• Statistical software SAS 8.0
• Descriptive analysis
• Multiple linear regression modeling

9
Results

• Socio-demographic information
• Table 1
• Association between dental check-ups and
• socio-demographic factors
• Table 2
• Association between dental check-ups and
• health outcomes
• Table 3

10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
Summary(1)

• 59 of adults had a routine dental check-up in
  the past year
• 16.8 of adults never had dental check-up
• Males, minorities, older people, people with
  lower education or with no health insurance were
  less likely to have a routine dental check-up in
  the past year

14
Summary (2)

• Routine dental check-ups were associated with
  better health outcomes
• Health insurance education are most important
  to reduce the disparity in access to dental
  service