THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MARITAL QUALITY AND ORAL HEALTH-STATUS

This study investigated whether oral health status is associated with marital quality. 164 families (father, mother and at least one 13-year -old child) from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, were selected from 13-year-ol d children from private and state schools. The parents' ages ranged fr om 35 to 44 years. A highly significant negative association between m arital quality and the father's (p < 0.001), mother's (p < 0.001) and child's dental caries (p < 0.01) was found. A significant negative ass ociation between marital quality and periodontal diseases was also fou nd for fathers (p < 0.01) and mothers (p < 0.05). Other significant as sociations were found within the population studied. Lower sugar consu mption, upper socio-economic status, higher frequency of dental attend ance, higher toothbrushing frequency and younger age were significantl y associated (p < 0.05) with lower levels of dental caries. Upper soci o-economic status, lower work-related mental demand and higher frequen cy of dental attendance were significantly associated (p < 0.05) with better periodontal status.