Oral health in Scotland 1972-1998

To determine the oral health of adults in Scotland in 1998 and the trends underlying it.

Epidemiological survey including attitudinal/behavioural interview.

Across the UK as a whole a total of 5,540 addresses were selected of which 89% were found to be eligible for inclusion; 3,666 of these (74%) yielded at least one adult who was prepared to be interviewed. Overall 92% of adults in the responding households agreed to be interviewed. In Scotland, this amounted to 1,204 adults; of these 953 had some natural teeth and were asked if they would be dentally examined; 668 (70%) of them agreed. Weighting procedures were used to reduce bias.

The proportion of Scots who have retained none of their natural teeth in 1998 (18%) has more than halved since 1972 (44%). More of the teeth which are retained are sound and untreated or restored but otherwise sound, fewer are decayed. The proportion of older adults who report going to a dentist for regular check-ups in 1998 (60%) has doubled since 1972 (29%). However, there is an indication that fewer of those aged 16-24 years in 1998 went for dental check-ups (46%) in comparison to ten years previously (51%). The overall oral health status among those living in the most deprived areas were roughly equivalent to the average seen in Scotland at the time of the previous survey in 1988.

Whilst many aspects of oral health have improved in Scotland since 1972 it is generally behind many of the levels found throughout England and falls behind the UK average.