School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts

Background: Oral health is an essential aspect of overall health. A national epidemic of poor oral health outcomes exists among those living under poverty, the elderly and several minority groups. Tobacco use and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) are preventable risk factors that contribute to poor oral health. Dental providers are considered a primary line of defense to deliver tobacco cessation and SSB consumption interventions. This study seeks to examine the prevalence and predictors of receiving such interventions in the dental setting in two counties in California’s Central Valley.

Methods:  Data for 419 participants used in this cross-sectional study were collected throughout Madera and Stanislaus counties. Sociodemographic and dental health characteristics were used to examine their effect on the receipt of advice about tobacco cessation and the consumption of SSBs by a dental provider. A series of logistic regression models were constructed to define what characteristics influenced the odds of receipt of advice in such setting.

Results: Among the overall total of participants included in this analysis, 32% indicated the receipt of advice about tobacco cessation while 53% indicated the receipt of SSB advice by their dental health provider. Measures such as teeth appearance satisfaction, employment, and county of residence had significant effects on the odds of the receipt of tobacco cessation advice. While measures for perception of the importance of preventative visits to the dentist, dental appearance satisfaction, reason for dental visit, tooth flossing frequency, Denti-Cal insurance and being 65 years or older were significant in predicting the odds of receiving SSB consumption advice.

Conclusion:  There is a need of implementing system changes within the dental practice to ensure that all patients get tobacco and SSB related interventions.