Table 2.
Oral health status and behaviour of people with cardiovascular disease (n = 318)
| Variables | Frequency (%) |
|---|---|
| Oral health statusa | |
| Excellent | 15 (4.7) |
| Very good | 60 (18.9) |
| Good | 103 (32.5) |
| Fair | 99 (31.2) |
| Poor | 40 (12.6) |
| Self-reported oral health problems | |
| One problem or more | 260 (81.8) |
| Type of oral health problemsb | |
| Teeth that don’t look right (broken, crooked, discoloured) | 130 (41.0) |
| Dry mouth | 127 (40.1) |
| Sensitivity | 103 (32.5) |
| Cavities | 93 (29.3) |
| Toothache | 65 (20.5) |
| Bleeding/swollen/painful gums | 58 (18.3) |
| Loose teeth | 46 (14.5) |
| Other problems | 37 (11.6) |
| Dental problem affects what you eat | |
| Yes | 133 (41.8) |
| Use of partial or full dentures | |
| Yes | 16 (5.0) |
| Importance of oral health compared to overall healtha | |
| Low importance (0–4) | 23 (7.3) |
| Neutral (5) | 29 (9.2) |
| Important to extremely important (6–10) | 262 (83.4) |
| How often do you brush your teeth/dentures | |
| Few times a week | 14 (4.4) |
| Less than once per day | 6 (1.9) |
| Once a day | 103 (32.4) |
| Twice or more times a day | 192 (60.4) |
| Never | 3 (0.9) |
| Oral hygiene products usedb | |
| Fluoride toothpaste | 289 (90.9) |
| Dental floss or other aids | 110 (34.6) |
| Mouthwash | 93 (29.2) |
| Sugar free chewing gum | 36 (11.3) |
| None | 10 (3.1) |
| Seen a dentist in the last 12 months | |
| Yes | 187 (58.8) |
| When was your last dental visit | |
| < 1 year | 187 (58.8) |
| > 1 year to 2 years | 43 (13.5) |
| > 2 years to 5 years | 43 (13.5) |
| > 5 years | 39 (12.3) |
| Don’t know | 6 (1.8) |
| Where do you most often see the dentista | |
| Private clinic | 222 (70.3) |
| Public clinic or hospital (government funded) | 69 (21.8) |
| Other | 16 (5.1) |
| Don’t know | 9 (2.8) |
| Received information about oral health care since diagnosisa | |
| Yes | 34 (10.7) |
aMissing data (range 1–4); bMultiple responses