Oral health in a life-course: birth-cohorts from 1929 to 2006 in Norway

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the work was to study the influence of the oral health environment at age 10, of adolescent and adulthood dental behaviours and of social status on oral health of three birth-cohorts in 1983 and two of the three birth-cohorts in 2006 in Norway. METHODS: The material comprised data from random samples of three birth-cohorts living in the counties of Sor- and Nord-Trondelag in 1983. The birth-cohorts were 1929-1938, 1939-1948 and 1959-1960. In 2006 two samples were drawn from the 1929-1938 and 1959-1960 birth-cohort. The data collection comprised standard clinical measurements and self-administered questionnaires. The early oral health environment and social status and gender were related to oral health in 1983 by multiple regressions. The impact of social status was studied in combined datafiles from 1983 and 2006. RESULTS: The oral health environment in childhood was important for adults' oral health. The attention from parents and the local environment lead to a better oral health outcome in adulthood. Social status affected choices leading to better oral health. Regular dental visits were important especially for the eldest birth-cohort. Good oral health behaviours early and during adulthood were also important for oral health. Judged by number of tooth surfaces the difference between social status groups had not increased by 2006. CONCLUSIONS: A life-course perspective provides an opportunity to understand oral health over time. The present study supports the assumption that oral health is continuously exposed to environmental and behavioural risks that lead to accumulated diseases in the dental tissues.