Oral health impacts among Australian adults in the National Study of Adult Oral Health (NSAOH) 2017-18

Background This paper examines oral health impacts of toothache experience, self-rated oral health (SROH), being uncomfortable with dental appearance, and avoiding foods in the Australian adult population. Methods The explanatory variables include age, sex, region, income, area-based SES, dental insurance and visiting pattern. The data were collected in the interview in NSAOH 2017-18. Results There were lower percentages with: toothache in the highest (14.8%) than middle (21.2%) and lower income tertiles (25.2%); fair/poor SROH in the highest (15.8%) than middle (24.1%) and lower tertiles (34.8%); uncomfortable with appearance in the highest (29.1%) than middle (35.3%) and lower tertiles (42.2%); and food avoidance in the higher (15.3%) than middle (22.9%) and lower tertiles (34.4%). There were higher percentages with: toothache in the unfavourable (32.2%) than intermediate (23.1%) and favourable (11.7%) visiting groups; fair/poor SROH in the unfavourable (44.0%) than intermediate (27.4%) or favourable (10.2%) groups; being uncomfortable about appearance in the unfavourable (47.6%) than intermediate (39.5%) or favourable (25.8%) groups; and avoiding foods in the unfavourable (34.8%) than intermediate (26.0%) or favourable (14.5%) groups. Conclusions Socioeconomic status and dental visiting were associated with oral health impacts. Oral health impacts were worse for those with lower income and unfavourable visiting patterns.