ORAL MUCOSAL CHANGES AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG MALE INDUSTRIAL-WORKERS WITH OR WITHOUT ACCESS TO SUBSIDIZED DENTAL-CARE

Oral mucosal changes and associated factors were studied among male in dustrial workers in southern Finland. Two groups, with or without acce ss to an employer-provided dental benefit scheme, were compared. A mul tiple-choice questionnaire followed by clinical examinations was compl eted by 325 (81%) subsidized workers and 174 (69%) controls. In both g roups 52% of the subjects had some oral mucosal change, and there were no significant differences between the groups in the location distrib ution of the changes. Smoking was significantly associated with rednes s of the oral mucosa (p < 0.001), coating (p < 0.001), and leukoplakia (p < 0.01), whereas denture wearing was associated with ulcers (p < 0 .05), hyperplasia (p < 0.001), and redness (p < 0.001). Among denture wearers non-acceptable dentures were significantly associated with hyp erplasia (p < 0.001). The subsidized group had better dentures, althou gh this did not significantly benefit their oral mucosal status.