Difference in inequalities in routine oral health behaviors among older Japanese: a cross-sectional study

From a life-course perspective, adolescent socioeconomic status (SES) can have long-term effects. This study investigated the association between SES in adolescence and older age SES, as well as their mobility, and routine oral health behaviors among older adults.

This cross-sectional study analyzed data of individuals aged 65 years or older from the 2019 wave of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES). SES mobility from adolescence to old age was defined based on combinations of economic status at age 15 and in older adulthood. Oral health behaviors, such as tooth brushing, toothpaste use, and flossing or interdental brushing, were also assessed. Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs).

Among 21,197 participants with a mean age of 74.0 years (SD = 5.9), 47.2% were male. Compared to individuals with consistently low SES, those with upward SES mobility and consistently high SES were more likely to use dental floss or interdental brushes (PR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.12-1.30 and 1.22, 95% CI: 1.14-1.31, respectively). In contrast, neither tooth brushing nor toothpaste use was significantly associated with SES mobility.

Inequalities in the use of dental floss and interdental brushes based on SES and SES mobility were observed.