PREVENTIVE BEHAVIORS AS CORRELATES OF PERIODONTAL HEALTH-STATUS

Objectives: This investigation examined current practices of brushing, flossing, and periodic dental visits and their association with perio dontal health status. Methods: Data were collected using face-to-face interviews and 40-minute in-home dental examinations with a probabilit y sample of adults 18 years of age or older, having at least one tooth , and living in housing units in the Detroit tricounty area. Complete examinations were performed on 319 individuals. Results: On average, s ubjects reported brushing their teeth about twice a dal;. About one-th ird of the population reported flossing at least once a day. Loss of p eriodontal attachment was related to frequency of brushing while subje cts who exhibited acceptable flossing ability had less plaque and calc ulus, shallower pocket depths, and less attachment loss. Subjects repo rting a periodic dental visit at least once a year had less plaque, gi ngivitis, and calculus than subjects reporting less frequent visits. I n regression analyses, brushing thoroughness, flossing ability and fre quency, and dental visit frequency were predictors of lower plaque, gi ngivitis, and calculus scores. In turn, these scores were predictors o f shallower pocket depths and less attachment loss. Conclusions: Brush ing, flossing, and periodic dental visits were correlated with better periodontal health. The behaviors appeared to be indirectly related to pocket depth and attachment loss through their associations with plaq ue, gingivitis, and calculus levels.