THE RELATION OF PREVENTIVE DENTAL BEHAVIORS TO PERIODONTAL HEALTH-STATUS

Current recommendations for periodontal health maintenance emphasize t oothbrushing, flossing and periodic dental checkups. The purposes of t his study were to examine (1) the effects of these practices on period ontal health and (2) the relationships of demographic and socioeconomi c variables with these behaviors and with periodontal health. Adults ( n=319) in the Detroit, Michigan tri-county area were asked how frequen tly they performed the 3 preventive behaviors. Levels of plaque, gingi vitis, calculus, and periodontal attachment were then assessed during in-home dental examinations. There were no statistically significant d ifferences in these health measures between those with acceptable and unacceptable brushing behavior. About 20% of the subjects reported acc eptable flossing behavior, and these individuals had significantly les s plaque and calculus than other participants. Over 3/4 of subjects re ported having a dental checkup at least 1 x a year, and these persons were found to have significantly less plaque, gingivitis, and calculus compared to less frequent attenders. Acceptable brushing behavior was not associated with any particular demographic or socioeconomic chara cteristic, while differences in acceptable flossing behavior were foun d among age groups. Frequencies of yearly dental checkups varied signi ficantly within every demographic and socioeconomic characteristic.