Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of chronic disease on oral health behavior. Methods: The subjects were 317 adults over 30-years old living in urban and rural areas. They were selected by convenience sampling method and filled out the self-reported questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics, dental treatment, chronic disease, and oral health behavior including oral health self-care behavior and professional oral health care. Results: The self-care oral health behavior and the professional oral health care had a negative correlation with the chronic diseases. Especially, the self-care oral health behavior and the professional oral health care had a statistically significant negative correlation with hypertension and osteoporosis. Multiple regression analysis was performed after including general characteristics, dental treatment, chronic disease. Meanwhile the presence of chronic disease had a significant influence on the self-care oral health behavior and the professional oral health care. Hypertension and Osteoporosis were the most influential factors of chronic diseases and had a significant influence on the oral health behavior. In conclusion, the chronic diseases aggravated the oral health behavior practice. Conclusions: presence of chronic disease affects oral health behavior. Therefore, the effective intervention and education programs related to oral health care are necessary to enhance adult’s oral health behavior and total health. The continuous follow-up study will determine the causal relationship between oral health behavior and the presence of chronic disease.
Figures & Tables
Table 1. Oral health behavior according to characteristics of subjects (N=317)
