Education level and oral health in Finnish adults: evidence from different lifecourse models.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationship between education level and several oral health outcomes in Finnish adults, using three conceptual lifecourse models.


METHODS
This study analysed data from 7112 subjects, aged 30 years or over, who participated in the nationally representative Finnish Health 2000 Survey. Parental and own education levels were the childhood and adulthood socioeconomic measures, respectively. Oral health was indicated by edentulousness, perceived oral health and levels of dental caries and periodontal disease. Three conceptual lifecourse models, namely critical period, accumulation and social trajectories, were separately tested in regression models.


RESULTS
In line with the critical period model, parental and own education levels were independently associated with oral health after mutual adjustment. There was also a graded linear relationship between the number of periods of socioeconomic disadvantage and oral health, corresponding to the accumulation model. Gradual declines in oral health were evident between social trajectories from persistently high to upwardly mobile, downwardly mobile and persistently low groups.


CONCLUSIONS
There was similar support for the lifecourse models of critical period, accumulation and social trajectories. They collectively contribute to a better understanding of oral health inequalities.
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK. e.bernabe@qmul.ac.uk
Eduardo
E
Bernabé
Anna L
AL
Suominen
Anne
A
Nordblad
Miira M
MM
Vehkalahti
Hannu
H
Hausen
Matti
M
Knuuttila
Mika
M
Kivimäki
Richard G
RG
Watt
Aubrey
A
Sheiham
Georgios
G
Tsakos
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016010:Binomial Distribution; D003423:Critical Period, Psychological; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D009909:Oral Health; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012923:Social Class; D012937:Social Mobility