한국치위생학회

Association between age at menarche, oral health behavior and oral health status

In-Ja  Kim1,*   

Department of Dental Hygiene, Yeoju Institute of Technology

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between age at menarche and two major oral diseases. Methods: Data from the 7th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016–2018) were used. The participants included girls and women aged 12 years and above. Thedataofa total of 7,420 participants were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed using complex samples cross-tabulation analysis and complex samples general linear model. Results: The average age at menarche of those aged 12 to 80 years was 13.81 years. The age at menarche was found to be associated with decayed-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) (p<0.05). When the age at menarche was nine years, DMFT was 4.20 when it was 19 years, DMFT was 10.80. The age at menarche was found to be associated with periodontal tissue state (p<0.05). The group with early menarche age had healthier periodontal tissues (17.1%), whereas the group with late menarche age had more unhealthy periodontal tissues (17.9%) (p<0.001). Conclusions: The age at menarche was associated with two major oral diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to provide women with oral hygiene care and oral health education to prevent major oral diseases before their secondary sex characteristics appear.

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1. Distributions of age at menarche in Korean women