Changes in perceived oral health in a longitudinal population-based study

Objectives The aim was to examine whether the changes in different measures of perceived oral health (POH) were similar and related to each other over 11 years in the Finnish adult population in a longitudinal setting. Perceived oral health was measured by means of subjective oral health (SOH), self-assessed treatment need (STN), and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Methods Results The data were collected as part of the nationally representative Health 2000 and Health 2011 (BRIF 8901) surveys on Finnish adults born in 1981 or earlier. SOH and STN were measured using single items and OHRQoL using the 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). The changes in STN and OHRQoL were reported by age group and by gender. Age groups (born in 1971 or later, in 1956-1970, in 1946-1955, or in 1945 or earlier) were based on access to subsidized oral health care. General linear mixed models for changes in perceived oral health variables were conducted. Subjective oral health and oral health-related quality of life with impacts occurring occasionally, fairly often, or very often (OFoVo) showed similar results and remained good or improved in the majority of the participants. Self-assessed treatment need in the population showed less consistent results. Subjective oral health was good in the adult population. About half of the participants, regardless of age and gender, reported self-assessed treatment need in both years, showing a decrease among women and an increase in the youngest group. Perceived oral health improved significantly in the two oldest age groups regardless of the measure. The general linear mixed model revealed that changes in all three perceived oral health variables were related even when adjusted for age and gender. Conclusion Multiple perceived oral health measures might be useful for service planning, as the changes in the three separate measures used in this longitudinal study were various and thus measured different aspects of perceived oral health. Research including both self-perceived and clinical indicators is needed to understand need for care as a whole.