Family Function, Oral Health Related Behaviour and Severe Periodontitis

Objectives: To explore the role of family function in the domain of problem solving in severe periodontitis. Methods: Outer North East London (ONEL) Family Study collected data in a representative sample of 2,304 adults 16- 65 and 1,122 children 3-4 years old in 2009-10. Data was collected through home visits by trained dentists and interviewers, and included dental clinical examinations following WHO criteria (1997), and answers to questionnaires. Family problem solving was assessed using the Family Assessment Device (FAD) (Epstein et al., 1983). The preliminary data analysis of this population based case control study included 198 participants (66 cases, 132 controls). Cases and controls were screened from the Outer North East London (ONEL) Family Study. Cases were defined as having at least 2 sites with ≥ 6mm clinical attachment loss and a separate site with a pocket depth >5mm and controls were those with no loss of attachment or pocket depth >3mm. Two controls were selected for each case. Association between explanatory variables and severe periodontitis was tested using chi square. Further statistical analysis will assess the effect of confounding variables and behavioural pathways to explain the association identified Results: Preliminary analysis of 198 participants (66 cases, 132 controls) showed that a significantly higher proportion of controls (68.9%) as compared to cases (31.1%) reported efficient problem solving(P<0.05). Tobacco use (P<0.01), presence of plaque (P<0.01) and calculus (P<0.01) was also associated with severe periodontitis. Alcohol use, tooth-brushing and dental attendance was not associated with severe periodontitis. Conclusion: Family function in the domain of problem solving may act as a protective factor against severe periodontitis. Acknowledgments: The authors acknowledge Waltham Forest, Redbridge, and Barking and Dagenham Primary Care Trusts, who provided practical and financial support for this research.