Pattern and prevalence of tooth loss in health workers: Preliminary results of the Staff Health Cohort

Abstract

Objective (s): This study aimed to investigate the pattern, prevalence, behavioral and socio-economic factors that relate to tooth loss among Shahid-Beheshti University of Medical Sciences employees. Methods: The data used for this was derived from a cohort study of Shahid-Beheshti University of Medical Sciences employees. The study was assessed tooth loss among 1381 participants using ordinal regression modeling . Additionally data from self-administered questionnaire were used. Results: Prevalence of tooth loss and edentulous in both genders was 68.1% and 1.8% respectively. In general tooth loss among women were lower than men (P<0.05). According to adjusted ordinal regression model, smoking (OR=3.12-CI: 1.03-9.44), age (OR=1.10-CI: 1.07-1.12), use of toothbrush (OR=0.42-CI: 0.23-0.76), tooth floss (OR=0.64-CI: 0.46-0.90), gender (OR for female gender =0.61-CI: 0.43-0.86) and socio-economic status (OR=0.77-CI: 0.65-0.91) significantly were associated with tooth loss. Conclusion: Health workers had a relatively high prevalence of tooth loss, despite being employed in a health sector (medical university), and expected to have relatively better knowledge of oral health and better access to the oral health services

Keywords

• oral health
• tooth loss
• employees