Association between dental fear, physical activity and physical and mental well-being among Finnish university students

: Pohjola V, Puolakka A, Kunttu K, Virtanen JI

Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

: 2020

: Acta Odontologica Scandinavica

: ACTA ODONTOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA

: ACTA ODONTOL SCAND

: 78

: 1

: 45

: 51

: 7

: 0001-6357

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00016357.2019.1649457

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between physical and mental well-being and physical activity with dental fear among university students in Finland. Methods: We used the 2016 data from the Finnish student health survey (n = 3090). Perceived physical and mental well-being was ascertained with the questions 'How would you describe your current state of physical well-being?' and 'How would you describe your current state of mental well-being'. Dental fear was inquired with question 'Do you feel scared about dental care?' Associations between physical and mental well-being and dental fear were analyzed with cross tabulations and logistic regression analysis. Results: When controlling for age, gender, educational sector, tobacco and alcohol use, those reporting poor or moderate physical or mental well-being were more likely to have high dental fear than were those reporting good physical or mental well-being. Conclusions: In addition to mental well-being, physical well-being was also associated with dental fear; those with poor or moderate physical well-being were more likely to have dental fear than were those with good physical well-being.