Dental health among workers at a Danish chocolate factory

All workers (n = 59) at a Danish chocolate factory were given a questionnaire in order to study dental health behavior and self-assessment of dental health. Regular dental visits at least once a year was reported by 71% of the respondents. Toothbrushing at least twice a day was claimed by most of the workers, but only a few reported to brush their teeth daily at work. One fourth declared that they often consumed chocolate at their working place. Good dental and gingival conditions were only reported by 25% and in correspondence with this, nearly one third claimed to have had much or a great deal of trouble with their teeth. Mean DMFS increased from 22.7 in the age group 16-19 yr to 106.7 among persons 40 yr of age or more. In the age group 20-39 yr half of the teeth present had gingivitis and calculus and among the older individuals half of the teeth had gingivitis and pockets deeper than 5 mm. Chocolate workers were considered a high risk group.