Periodontal Health and Use of Oral Health Services: A Comparison of Germans and Two Migrant Groups

Daniel Hagenfeld, Heiko Zimmermann, Katja Korb, Nihad El-Sayed, Julia Fricke, Karin Halina Greiser, Jan Kühnisch, Jakob Linseisen, Christa Meisinger, Marc Schmitter, Ti-Sun Kim and Heiko Becher
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Daniel Hagenfeld: Section of Periodontology, Department of Conservative Dentistry, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Heiko Zimmermann: Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Katja Korb: Department of Orthodontics, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Nihad El-Sayed: Section of Periodontology, Department of Conservative Dentistry, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Julia Fricke: Division of Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Karin Halina Greiser: Division of Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Jan Kühnisch: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 80336 München, Germany
Jakob Linseisen: German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
Christa Meisinger: German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
Marc Schmitter: Department of Prosthodontics, University of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
Ti-Sun Kim: Section of Periodontology, Department of Conservative Dentistry, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Heiko Becher: Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 16, 1-9

Abstract: A cross-sectional study was performed with 251 individuals, consisting of 127 Germans, 68 migrants from Turkey, and 56 resettlers (migrants from the former Soviet Union with German ancestors) to compare periodontal health status, with a special focus on associations with lifestyle and anthropometric factors, and use of dental health services. Maximal pocket depth was used as a clinical surrogate marker for periodontitis. Other variables were obtained by questionnaires administered by a Turkish or Russian interpreter. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of periodontitis was significantly higher in Turks (odds ratio (OR) 2.84, 95% CI = 1.53–5.26) and slightly higher in resettlers (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 0.71–2.49). These differences are partly explained by a differential distribution of known risk factors for periodontitis. A full model showed a higher prevalence of maximal pocket depth above 5 mm in Turks (OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 0.99–3.92). Use of oral health services was significantly lower in the two migrant groups. Individuals who reported regular visits to a dentist had significantly less periodontitis, independent of migrant status. A reasonable conclusion is that, since oral health causes major chronic diseases and has a major effect on total health system expenditures, public health efforts both generally and specifically focused on migrant groups are warranted.

Keywords: periodontitis; migrants; oral health; dental health care (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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