Dental health behavior in fathers of young families in Finland

: Liisa Hyssälä, Kyösti Oikarinen, Päivi Rautava, Päivi Paunio, Matti Sillanpää

Publisher: MUNKSGAARD INT PUBL LTD

: 1992

: Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology

: COMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY

: COMMUNITY DENT ORAL

: 20

: 3

: 125

: 129

: 5

: 0301-5661

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0528.1992.tb01545.x

The purpose of this stydy was to examine dental health behavior in young fathers by means of a questionnaire for subjective evaluation of dental status, frequency of caries and visits to the dentist. Cariogenic diet was estimated by the consumption of sweets, confectionery and soft drinks, The participation rate 18 months after the birth of the family's first child was 73.1%. The mean age of the respondents was 28.1 yr (range 17-49; SD 4.6). When background factors were considered, it was observed that cariogenic diet was more often mentioned by participants from the lower social groups. The standard of the wife's knowledge level was an important indicator of dental care behavior in the fathers. If the wife's knowledge level was high, the father assessed the future condition of his child's teeth as good.