Oral health and dental visiting among young Australians living outside capital cities

Abstract

Introduction: Australians living outside capital cities have poorer oral health. This study aims to compare differences in oral health status and dental visiting behaviour among young adult capital city dwellers (CCD) and non-CCDs. Methods: Data were from the National Survey of Adult Oral Health, a cross-sectional survey of Australians aged 15+years comprising telephone interviews (socio-demographic and dental visiting data) and dental examinations carried out by calibrated examiners (caries data). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using logistic regression to compare five indicators of oral health and access to dental care for non-CCD relative to CCD. Results: 2,769 participants (response rate 49%) aged 18–34 years, with clinical data on 971 (44% of interviewees), were included in the analysis; results reported were significant within 95% confidence intervals. Logistic regression models controlling for age, sex, education, eligibility for public dental care, dental insurance, country of birth and language spoken at home revealed that non-CCD were more likely to have untreated decay (OR=2.23 ; CI 1.46-3.40), to have had a tooth extracted (OR=1.59; CI 1.05-2.40), and to usually visit a dentist for a dental problem (OR=1.64; CI 1.30-2.08). Non-CCD were less likely to have had their teeth professionally cleaned in the previous 12 months (OR=0.61; CI 0.45-0.84), or to attend the same dentist (OR=0.54; CI 0.42-0.70) Conclusion: Young adults living outside capital cities had poorer oral health status and access to dental care.