Preventive oral health behaviors among African-Americans and whites in Detroit.
OBJECTIVE
This study compared the preventive oral health behaviors of African-Americans and whites.


METHODS
Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a probability sample of 384 African-American and 358 white adults living in the greater Detroit area. Questions focused on brushing, flossing, and dental visits.


RESULTS
More than 95 percent of both groups reported brushing daily; however, whites were more likely to brush all teeth, including parts that do not show. Frequency of flossing did not differ between groups. African-Americans, however, were less likely to floss all of their teeth. Whites were more likely than African-Americans to get dental check-ups at least once a year and much less likely to indicate they had never had a dental check-up. African-Americans tended to have less education and lower family income than whites and were more likely than whites to have Medicaid. Race differences in brushing thoroughness and annual check-ups were greatly reduced when income, education, and insurance were controlled statistically.


CONCLUSIONS
African-Americans are less likely than whites to brush thoroughly, floss thoroughly, and get dental check-ups. These differences are partly traceable to differences in socioeconomic status and access to professional oral health care.
Ronis
D L
DL
School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-0482, USA. dronis@umich.edu
Lang
W P
WP
Antonakos
C L
CL
Borgnakke
W S
WS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003729:Dental Care; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012923:Social Class; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014099:Toothbrushing; D014481:United States; D044465:White People