title: Self-reported Use of Dental Floss over 13 Years: Relationship with Family Income, Mother's Age and Educational Level.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether family income, age and educational level of the mother of the family are associated with self-reported use of dental floss over a 13-year period in a city in southern Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comparison of two household surveys was carried out where mothers of the family were interviewed using a structured questionnaire in order to obtain demographic, behavioural and socioeconomic information. In total, 852 and 984 households were included in 1996 and 2009, respectively. Self-reported use of dental floss was assessed dichotomously (yes/no). Poisson regression models were fitted to study the association between sociodemographic variables with the use of dental floss. Proportion ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of dental floss use increased from 48% to 59% over 13 years. The probability of dental floss use increased 1.23 times from 1996 to 2009 (PR = 1.23; 95% CI 1.13-1.34). Households with mothers ≥50 years old presented a 28% lower probability of using dental floss than households with mothers ≤35 years old. In households with higher family income and higher educational level of the mother, probabilities of flossing were 90% and 97% higher.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Family income, age and educational level of the mother of the family are associated with self-reported use of dental floss over 13 years.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kauer
authors.forename: Jasper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schütz
authors.forename: Paulo R G
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Colussi
authors.forename: Rui V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Oppermann
authors.forename: Alex N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: Cassiano K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Rösing
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008423:Maternal Age; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D057566:Self Report; D012923:Social Class; D014505:Urban Population