Toothbrushing is a main self-care method to prevent the most prevalent non-communicable diseases, periodontal disease and dental caries. This health behavior is adopted in childhood and adolescence. Twice-a-day toothbrushing frequency is universally accepted recommendation for maintaining good dental and periodontal health. The aim of this study was to describe the trend of toothbrushing frequency in different countries between 1994 and 2010.
Methods:
This study was a part of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Survey program, which has been conducted since 1982 every fourth year in several European countries, in Canada and in USA. From 1994 onwards 20 countries participated in five consecutive cross-sectional surveys. Representative samples of 11-, 13- and 15-year-old pupils completed an anonymous standardized questionnaire during a school hour. Question about toothbrushing frequency had been validated earlier. Trend was analyzed by logistic regression model.
Results:
Prevalence of recommended toothbrushing behavior increased in all countries (from mean 30–62% to mean 50–72%) except in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, which already had a very high level in 1994. The highest increase took place in Estonia (21%), Russia (19%), Latvia (18%), Belgium Fl (17%), Finland (17%), Austria (14%), Scotland (12%), Belgium Fr (11%), and in France (10%). In all studied countries and regions girls had higher prevalence of recommended toothbrushing than boys (OR=2.06, 99%CI 2.03–2.10). The increasing trend was stronger among boys (0R2010 vs. 1994: boys 1.60; girls 1.48) and among the younger adolescents (OR2010 vs. 1994: 11-year-olds 1.64; 15-year olds 1.45). Adoption of recommended toothbrushing habit increased by age for girls (15-year-olds vs. 11-year-olds: OR 1.50 CI 1.46–1.55), but not for boys (OR 0.95 CI 95% 0.93–0.98).
Conclusions:
Adoption of recommended toothbrushing frequency seemed to improve in most of the studied countries, except in countries where the frequency was already high in 1994.