Oral hygiene behaviours among Australian adults in the National Study of Adult Oral Health (NSAOH) 2017-18.

BACKGROUND

This paper examines oral hygiene behaviours (tooth brushing, mouthwash use and dental floss) by a range of explanatory variables.

METHODS

Explanatory variables included age, sex, region, income, area-based SES, dental insurance and visiting pattern. The data reported were collected in the interview survey in NSAOH 2017-18.

RESULTS

A higher percentage of females brushed with toothpaste at least daily (98.0%) and used floss in the last week (62.6%) than males (94.6% and 48.5% respectively). There was an income gradient in tooth brushing. Higher percentages brushed in the high income (96.8%) than middle (96.2%) and low-income tertiles (93.6%). A higher percentage of the high-income tertile (58.2%) flossed than the lower tertile (53.3%). Those with unfavourable visit patterns had lower percentages who brushed daily (92.7%) than the intermediate (96.7%) or favourable (98.2%) groups. There was a gradient in flossing by visiting, with a lower percentage flossing for the unfavourable visiting group (38.5%) than for the intermediate (52.8%) or favourable groups (67.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

Oral hygiene behaviours were associated with gender, socioeconomic status and dental visiting. A higher percentage of women brushed and flossed than men. Lower socioeconomic status and those with unfavourable visiting patterns had lower frequencies of brushing and flossing.