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Adolescents' sense of coherence and smoking as longitudinal predictors of self‐reported gingivitis
Author(s) -
AyoYusuf Olalekan A.,
Reddy Priscilla S.,
Van Den Borne Bart W.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of clinical periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.456
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1600-051X
pISSN - 0303-6979
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-051x.2008.01319.x
Subject(s) - gingivitis , medicine , psychological intervention , coping (psychology) , demography , longitudinal study , dentistry , cohort , clinical psychology , psychiatry , pathology , sociology
Objective: This study sought to determine the influence of sense of coherence (SOC), a personal stress‐coping resource, and smoking on the self‐reported gingival health of a cohort of rural black South African adolescents. Methods: This 18‐month study involved a three‐wave survey of a representative sample of eighth graders from 11 randomly selected high schools in the Limpopo province, South Africa ( n =970). Using a generalized estimating equation model, we examined the correlates of recent gingivitis, defined as self‐reporting frequent gingival bleeding (GB). Explanatory variables included baseline socio‐economic status, age, gender, plaque levels, toothbrushing frequency, tobacco use status and SOC levels. Results: Among our sample, 74.6% reported experiencing gingivitis at some point during follow‐up, while 41.9% reported frequent GB at the last survey. Factors that were positively associated with recent gingivitis include living in poor households [odds ratio (OR)=1.49; p <0.01], having higher plaque levels (OR=1.18; p =0.04) and smoking regularly (OR=1.57; p =0.04). Self‐reporting gingivitis was negatively associated with being female (OR=0.76; p =0.02) and having a higher SOC (OR=0.96; p <0.001). Conclusions: Adolescent smoking and SOC levels are independent predictors of self‐reported gingivitis. Therefore, in addition to plaque control, smoking prevention and the teaching of stress‐coping skills may be important interventions for promoting adolescents' gingival health.