<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0028_s_006">
<h3>Aim</h3>
<p>To analyse if body mass index (BMI) could be used as a fast proxy indicator of poor oral hygiene habits (POHH) among the adult population with diabetes mellitus.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0028_s_007">
<h3>Methods</h3>
<p>Adults, aged 25-74, from the Slovenian 2016 nationwide cross-sectional survey based on the Countrywide Integrated Non-Communicable Disease Intervention (CINDI) Health Monitor methodology, who reported being diabetic, were included in the study (n=560). We assessed the relationship between POHH and BMI, adjusted to confounders, using multiple binary logistic regression.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0028_s_008">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>In the total sample, the POHH prevalence was 50.9%. Taking into account BMI, POHH prevalence in participants with normal BMI values was only 37.8%, in the overweight group it was 1.22-times higher (46.0%), while in the obese group it was 1.63-times higher (61.6%) (p&lt;0.001). Also, the odds for POHH were 2.64-times higher in the obese group in comparison to the normal BMI group (95% CI: 1.55-4.51; p&lt;0.001). After adjustment for confounders, this OR decreased only moderately (OR=2.45; 95% CI: 1.35-4.44; p=0.003).</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0028_s_009">
<h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>BMI could be used as a readily assessable, fast, simple, and cheap tool indicating higher odds for having POHH among the diabetic population. By defining the high-risk group it could be easier for physicians and dentists to take further referrals and actions for promoting oral health in this group. The suggested tool can save time and could have an important positive impact on the quality of life of diabetics, as well as on health expenditures.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Aim
To analyse if body mass index (BMI) could be used as a fast proxy indicator of poor oral hygiene habits (POHH) among the adult population with diabetes mellitus.

Methods
Adults, aged 25-74, from the Slovenian 2016 nationwide cross-sectional survey based on the Countrywide Integrated Non-Communicable Disease Intervention (CINDI) Health Monitor methodology, who reported being diabetic, were included in the study (n=560). We assessed the relationship between POHH and BMI, adjusted to confounders, using multiple binary logistic regression.

Results
In the total sample, the POHH prevalence was 50.9%. Taking into account BMI, POHH prevalence in participants with normal BMI values was only 37.8%, in the overweight group it was 1.22-times higher (46.0%), while in the obese group it was 1.63-times higher (61.6%) (p<0.001). Also, the odds for POHH were 2.64-times higher in the obese group in comparison to the normal BMI group (95% CI: 1.55-4.51; p<0.001). After adjustment for confounders, this OR decreased only moderately (OR=2.45; 95% CI: 1.35-4.44; p=0.003).

Conclusions
BMI could be used as a readily assessable, fast, simple, and cheap tool indicating higher odds for having POHH among the diabetic population. By defining the high-risk group it could be easier for physicians and dentists to take further referrals and actions for promoting oral health in this group. The suggested tool can save time and could have an important positive impact on the quality of life of diabetics, as well as on health expenditures.

Body mass index as a proxy indicator for poor oral hygiene habits in adult diabetic patients

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Indeks telesne mase kot nadomestni kazalnik slabih navad ustne higiene med odraslimi diabetki

Aim
To analyse if body mass index (BMI) could be used as a fast proxy indicator of poor oral hygiene habits (POHH) among the adult population with diabetes...

Body mass index as a proxy indicator for poor oral hygiene habits in adult diabetic patients

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Sep 28, 2022

Page range: 209 - 215

Received: Mar 16, 2022

Accepted: Sep 06, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2022-0028

Keywords
oral hygiene, diabetics, health promotion, public health, health expenditures, primary health care

© 2022 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Body mass index as a proxy indicator for poor oral hygiene habits in adult diabetic patients

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Sep 28, 2022

Page range: 209 - 215

Received: Mar 16, 2022

Accepted: Sep 06, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2022-0028

Keywordsoral hygiene, diabetics, health promotion, public health, health expenditures, primary health care

© 2022 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
oral hygiene, diabetics, health promotion, public health, health expenditures, primary health care