Key Points
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Dental pain is a public health problem that affects 28% of the UK adult population.
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Amongst those reporting dental pain, young men from lower socio-economic groups are less likely to access professional dental treatment, and more likely to report dental treatment need.
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The dental needs of this particular group should be addressed if the Government is to live up to its commitment to reducing oral health inequality and improving access.
Abstract
Objective To report the demographic and socio-economic correlates for dental pain in UK adults, and characterise those with dental pain who did not access dental services and perceived treatment need.
Design Secondary analysis of the 1998 UK Adult Dental Health Survey data.
Setting Survey of random sample of UK households between September and December 1998.
Subjects and methods Face-to-face interviews with community-dwelling adults, aged 16 years and over.
Main outcome measures Self-reported dental pain in the past 12 months. Dental attendance and perceived treatment need of those reporting dental pain.
Results Of the 4,942 valid responses, 46.1% were men, the proportion of subjects in each 10-year band age group up to 65 years ranged from 10 to 23%, and 42.6% were manual workers. Dental pain was reported by 28%. After controlling for gender and age, manual workers were more likely to report dental pain (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.06-1.37), non-utilisation of dental services (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.12-1.82), and perceived treatment need (OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.03-1.60).
Conclusions Inequality by social class, age and gender exists in the experience of dental pain, access to dental services and perceived treatment need in the UK adult population. Dental health services need to address the needs of this particular section of the population if the Government is to live up to its commitment to reducing oral health inequality and improving access.
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Acknowledgements
This paper has been produced with the permission of the Office for National Statistics. Social Survey Division, Adult Dental Health Survey (ADH), 1998 [computer file]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Archive [distributor], November 2000. SN: 4226. The findings presented are based on secondary analysis of work undertaken by a consortium comprising the Office for National Statistics and the Dental Schools of the Universities of Birmingham, Dundee, Newcastle and Wales who received funding from the United Kingdom Health Departments; the views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Health Departments nor of the other members of the consortium.
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Pau, A., Croucher, R. & Marcenes, W. Demographic and socio-economic correlates of dental pain among adults in the United Kingdom, 1998. Br Dent J 202, E21 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/bdj.2007.171
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bdj.2007.171
