Page 167 - Petelin, Ana, ur. 2024. Zdravje delovno aktivnih in starejših odraslih / Health of Working-Age and Older Adults. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo ▪︎ Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press

Oral hygiene and the use of fluoride toothpastes in adults in Slovenia
in 2019

1
Barbara Artnik , Martin Ranfl 2
1 University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Chair of Public Health, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2 National Institute of Public Health, Regional Unit Murska Sobota, Murska Sobota,
Slovenia

Introduction: We present the results of the »National Oral Health Survey of Adults in
Slovenia in 2019«, which for the first time determined the level of oral health care in
adults at the national level. The aim of our study was to assess the state of oral health
in adults and make recommendations for its promotion. We report in detail the re-
sults and findings in relation to oral hygiene and fluoride use.
Methods: The target population was adults aged 18–74 years. The gender- and age-rep-
resentative sample comprised 3,200 adults (0.21% of the population in Slovenia). The
survey was conducted using the EGOHID questionnaire. The data were weighted by
gender, age and education. The results were analysed based on the number and pro-
portion of people in the selected categories according to demographic variables (gen-
der, age, education, living environment) and other variables (frequency of dental clean-
ing, etc.). The distribution of proportions between different groups (by gender, age,
education and living environment) were tested using the chi-square (χ ) test and the
2
CCP test to compare proportions between different groups.
Results: 71% of adults brushed their teeth regularly (at least twice a day), of which 81% posterji | poster presentations
were women and 60% men (χ test=49.879, p<0.001; CCP test, p<0.001). Only 59%
2
of adults with at least primary education, 68% of adults with secondary education and
82% of adults with at least tertiary education brushed their teeth at least twice a day
(χ test=24.965, p<0.001), but only compared to adults with at least tertiary education
2
(CCP test, p<0.001). In rural areas, where 62% of adults regularly brushed their teeth,
the proportion was lower than among adults in urban (78%) or suburban areas (76%)
2
(χ test=26.466, p<0.001; CCP test, p<0.004). Most adults used toothpaste when
brushing their teeth. Of these, 64% used toothpaste with fluoride, 14% used tooth-
paste without fluoride and 23% did not know whether their toothpaste contained flu-
oride. Dental floss was used regularly or occasionally by 64% of adults, an interdental
brush was used regularly or occasionally by 52% of adults, and a tongue scraper was
used regularly or occasionally by 23% of adults. Further statistical data are included in
the paper.
Discussion and conclusions: Brushing teeth at least twice daily with fluoride toothpaste
and interdental brushing and/or flossing and tongue scraping once daily are recom-
mended as effective measures to prevent oral disease. There is also a need to raise
awareness of the importance of dental hygiene among the target population in terms
of age, education and living environment. The results and recommendations for im-
proving oral health are a step towards reducing the burden of oral diseases and costs
in the (dental) healthcare system.
Keywords: oral health, adults, oral hygiene, fluorides

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