TABLE 1.
Characteristics of the study population (n = 484)
| All (n = 484) | Females (n = 227) | Males (n = 257) | p‐Value for gender diff. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (mean, range) | 28.0 (18–47) | 27.2 (18–45) | 28.6 (18–47) | .02 |
| BMIa | ||||
| <20 | 44 (9) | 13.7 | 5.10 | |
| 20–24.99 | 239 (50) | 61.2 | 39.2 | |
| 25–29.99 | 140 (29) | 15.4 | 41.2 | |
| >30 | 59 (12) | 9.7 | 14.5 | <.001 |
| Smoking a | ||||
| Never | 337 (70) | 72.9 | 67.6 | |
| Ex‐smoker | 78 (16) | 13.8 | 18.4 | |
| Current smoker | 66 (14) | 13.3 | 14.1 | .4 |
| Frequency of toothbrushing | ||||
| ≤Once daily | 63 (13) | 8.9 | 16.8 | |
| Twice daily | 389 (81) | 81.8 | 80.1 | |
| >Twice daily | 29 (6) | 9.3 | 3.1 | .001 |
| Use of fluoride toothpaste a | ||||
| ≤Once daily | 75 (16) | 12 | 18.8 | |
| Twice daily | 377 (78) | 79.6 | 77.6 | |
| >Twice daily | 28 (6) | 8.4 | 3.5 | .01 |
| Use of dental floss a | ||||
| Never or rarely | 197 (41) | 30.2 | 50.6 | |
| Once weekly | 130 (27) | 28.4 | 25.9 | |
| Once daily | 125 (26) | 30.2 | 22.4 | |
| ≥Twice daily | 28 (6) | 11.1 | 1.1 | <.001 |
| Use of mouthwash a | ||||
| Never or rarely | 236 (49) | 45.3 | 55.6 | |
| Once weekly | 105 (22) | 22.7 | 21.2 | |
| Once daily | 113 (24) | 24.4 | 22.8 | |
| ≥Twice daily | 26 (5) | 7.6 | 3.5 | .1 |
| Use of toothpicks a | ||||
| Never or rarely | 304 (64) | 69.2 | 58.7 | |
| Once weekly | 120 (25) | 20.1 | 29.5 | |
| ≥Once daily | 54 (11) | 10.7 | 11.8 | .04 |
| Gingival bleeding a | ||||
| Never | 57 (13) | 12.8 | 13.1 | |
| Rarely | 210 (48) | 45.9 | 49.0 | |
| Sometimes | 135 (30) | 29.8 | 30.0 | |
| Often | 32 (7) | 8.3 | 6.3 | |
| Always | 11 (2) | 3.2 | 1.7 | .8 |
| CPI a , b | ||||
| Score 0 | 325 (82) | 89.5 | 73.9 | |
| Score 1 | 17 (4) | 2.5 | 6.0 | |
| Score 2 | 45 (11) | 5.5 | 17.1 | |
| Score 3 | 12 (3) | 3.0 | 3.0 | .001 |
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; CPI, community periodontal index.
a
Missing data for BMI (n = 1); smoking (n = 2), fluoride and flossing and mouthwash (n = 3), toothpicks (n = 5); gingival bleeding (n = 39); CPI (n = 85).
b
No participants with score above 3.