ASSOCIATION OF LIFE-STYLE WITH PERIODONTAL HEALTH

All the 1012, 55-yr-old citizens of Oulu (a medium-sized Finnish town) were invited to a clinical examination, and 780 of them participated. The associations of lifestyle with periodontal health were analyzed i n the 527 dentate subjects. Periodontal pockets deeper than 3 mm were recorded as a percentage of the surfaces at risk. Lifestyle was measur ed by questions about dietary habits, smoking habits, alcohol consumpt ion and physical activity. Lifestyle had an independent association wi th periodontal health. Periodontal pocketing increased with an unhealt hier life-style. Lifestyle could explain some of the social and sex di fferences in periodontal health.