Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate in the changes in the percentage of adolescents who brush their teeth twice a day and the association with socio-economic status and health behaviors between 2006, 2010 and 2014 among adolescents from the French cross-sectional studies of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. Our sample included 18727 adolescents aged 11, 13 or 15 years old (y/o). The relationship between toothbrushing frequency (TBF) and eating habits, health and socio-economic status markers, family status, school perception, substance use, sedentary lifestyle and physical activity, together with their evolution over the 3 studies, were investigated using multivariate logistic regression. The proportion of adolescents brushing twice a day increased from 68.8% in 2006 to 70.8% in 2010 and 78.8% in 2014 (p<0.0001). Notable associated factors (p<0.0001) were: being a girl (adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.5) and, even more, an older girl (aOR 1.5 for 15 y/o vs 11 y/o girls), having breakfast (aOR 1.4) and eating fruits daily (aOR 1.6), excellent perceived health (aOR 1.2), obesity or overweight (aOR 0.6), being bullied at school (aOR 0.8), and perceived family wealth (aOR 1.4 for High vs Low). No impact from any associated factor changed over the 3 studies. Among French adolescents, TBF improved from 2006 to 2014. TBF was significantly associated with other health behaviors. These associations stayed similar in 2006, 2010 and 2010. This increase in TBF may be linked with global prevention programs developed during this time period. These programs should be maintained and associated with more specific ones targeting and adapted to disadvantaged populations, in order to reduce inequalities in oral hygiene and oral health.
Highlights
Oral diseases such as dental caries and periodontal diseases are among the most frequent chronic diseases around the world [1]
toothbrushing frequency (TBF) was significantly associated with other health behaviors
These associations stayed similar in 2006, 2010 and 2010. This increase in TBF may be linked with global prevention programs developed during this time period
Summary
Oral diseases such as dental caries and periodontal diseases are among the most frequent chronic diseases around the world [1]. Among 12 years old (y/o) French children, the DMFT index (Decayed, Missing or Filled Teeth) decreased from 4.20 to 1.23 between 1987 and 2006, while the proportion of children free of dental caries increased from 12% to 55.9% over the same period [3, 4]. Despite these encouraging observations, around half of the children still suffered from carious diseases. In French schools in 2009, showed only 56% of adolescents to be caries-free, a proportion around 10% lower than the 2010 sample previously described [6]
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