Dental visits among smoking and nonsmoking US adults in 2000.
OBJECTIVE
To examine dental visits among smoking and nonsmoking adults in a nationally representative sample.


METHODS
Logistic regression analysis was performed, using a sample of 15,250 US adults from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component 2000.


RESULTS
Current smokers were less likely to report dental visits (32.9%) than were nonsmokers (45.0%) during 2000. Differences were statistically significant even after accounting for other predictors of dental care use.


CONCLUSIONS
Efforts to optimize the oral health of smokers and reduce serious oral diseases may benefit from addressing this lower use of dental services among smokers.
Drilea
Susan K
SK
Health Research Analyst 4, NIDCR/CDC Data Resource Center, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. susan.drilea@ngc.com
Reid
Britt C
BC
Li
Chien-Hsun
CH
Hyman
Jeffrey J
JJ
Manski
Richard J
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009819:Office Visits; D012907:Smoking; D014481:United States