Oral health knowledge and habits and their effects on oral symptom perception and oral health related quality of life among urban and rural adult residents in Hainan province

  Objective  To investigate oral health-related knowledge and habits and their relationships to perceived oral symptoms and quality of life among urban and rural adult residents in Hainan province.

  Methods  Using stratified multistage random sampling, we recruited 5 880 residents aged 21 – 74 years in urban communities (n = 2 980) and rural villages (n = 2 900) in Hainan province. Face-to-face interviews were conducted among the residents with a standard domestic questionnaire on oral health behaviors and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) - Chinese version for assessment on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) from January 2016 to October 2018. Urban-rural differences in oral diseases, oral health knowledge and behaviors were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore relationships between oral health knowledge and habits and oral diseases.

  Results  Compared to the rural residents, the urban residents reported significantly lower prevalence rate of dental caries (18.20% vs. 23.60%, χ² = 2.937; P = 0.044) and calculus (24.00% vs. 30.05%, χ² = 3.112; P = 0.042) but higher prevalence rate of gingival bleeding (27.00% vs. 18.80%, χ² = 5.651; P = 0.017); the urban residents also had significantly higher oral knowledge score (77.4 ± 9.6 vs. 66.5 ± 13.1, t = 11.451; P = 0.001) and OHIP-14 score (38.4 ± 3.8 vs. 31.7 ± 4.5, t = 4.062; P = 0.023). The residents not reporting oral disease symptoms had significantly higher oral knowledge score (83.4 ± 10.6 vs. 60.5 ± 12.7, t = 15.451; P = 0.001) and OHIP-14 score (40.1 ± 3.4 vs. 29.4 ± 4.9, t = 5.410; P = 0.011) in comparison to the residents reporting oral disease symptoms. Logistic regression analysis showed that perceived oral symptoms were significantly influenced by brushing teeth at least 2 times a day, not smoking, eating sweet food less than one time per week, and having an oral knowledge score of greater than 70 (P < 0.05 for all).

  Conclusion  Adequate oral health knowledge and healthy oral habits have positive impacts on oral diseases and OHRQOL among adult residents in Hainan province.