Objectives The Sense of coherence (SOC) questionnaire estimate an individual’s degree of an inside strength leading to a health promoting behaviour. The aim was to investigate sense of coherence in relation to oral health status. Method A stratified random sample of 910 individuals from Jönköping, Sweden, aged 20,30,40,50,60,70 and 80 years old, was used. The investigation contained the Swedish short version of  the SOC questionnaire with 13-items and a self-reported questionnaire about demographic information, oral health related behaviour and attitudes to oral health. In addition a clinical and radiographical examination was performed. Results A total of 525 individuals participated in the study, 261 men and 264 women. Socioeconomic factors such as age, marital status, income and education had a statistical significant association to SOC.  Bivariate analyse showed that higher mean SOC scores had a statistically significant relationships with more decayed filled surfaces (DFS) and filled surfaces (FS), less caries severity, less teeth with calculus and a better periodontal health. Logistic regression analysis showed that Individuals with high SOC score were predictive of high DFS (OR=3.3, CI 1.14-9.36) and FS  (OR=2.1, CI 0.98-4.31) but low gingivitis scores (OR=0.54, CI 0.30-0.95). After controlling for age, high SOC scores showed a protective effect for gingivitis (OR=0.52,  CI 0.29-0.94) and plaque (OR=0.61, CI 0.36-1.04). Conclusions Socioeconomic factors had an association with SOC. Statistical associations were found between SOC scores and oral health status with regard to several  important oral clinical variables and high SOC scores may indicate a protective determinant for gingivitis and plaque.

Känslan av sammanhang (KASAM) är ett frågeformulär som skattar förmågan till ett hälsofrämjande beteende. Syftet var att analysera sambandet mellan KASAM, sociodemografiska faktorer samt oralt status. Material och Metod: Populationen bestod av ett stratifierat slumpmässigt urval bestående av 910 individer från Jönköping, i åldrarna 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 och 80 år. Instrument som användes var den korta versionen av KASAM (13 frågor) samt ett frågeformulär innehållande sociodemografiska frågor. En klinisk och röntgenologisk undersökning genomfördes i anslutning till utlämnandet av enkäterna. Resultat: Totalt deltog 525 individer, 261 men och 264 kvinnor. Sociodemografiska faktorer som ålder, civilstånd, inkomst och utbildning hade en statistisk signifikant association med KASAM. Bivariat analys visade att individer med högre KASAM medelvärde hade statistiskt signifikant fler karierade och fyllda ytor (DFS) och fyllda ytor (FS), färre karierade ytor, färre tänder med tandsten och bättre parodontal hälsa. Efter kontrollering för bakgrundsfaktorer såsom kön, civilstånd, inkomst, utbildning och yrkesnivå, visade det sig att individer med hög KASAM poäng hade en större risk för högre DFS och FS men mindre risk för gingivit. Efter justering för ålder, visades hög KASAM poäng ha en förklarande betydelse för gingivit och plack. Konklusion: Sociodemografiska faktorer hade ett samband med KASAM. Dessutom visade analyserna samband mellan KASAM och fler viktiga orala variabler. Ytterligare studier rekommenderas avseende sambanden mellan KASAM och oral hälsa, där bl a oralt hälsobeteende och attityder till tandvård studeras.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate different groups of patients' self-reported assessments of dental anxiety and pain related to various routine dental hygienist treatment procedures, and to investigate the relationship between anxiety concerning dental and dental hygienist treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A consecutive sample of 393 patients participated in the study (59.7% F, age range 20 to 85 years, mean 47.6 years). Periodontology (PC), oral medicine (OM), student and general practice (GP) clinics were included. Each patient was asked to answer a questionnaire which included different demographic information, self-reported levels of dental anxiety, and experience of pain in relation to different dental hygienist treatments. RESULTS: Higher dental anxiety was found in relation to gender (women), dentist treatment, and PC and OM patients. Experiences of high or extreme pain were reported by between 7.1% and 9.7% of participants for all dental hygienist procedures except polishing (0.8%). There were significant correlations between dental hygienist fear levels and reported extreme pain experiences among all five treatment procedures. Patients treated at the PC clinic scored significantly higher on pain compared with patients at the other clinics, with the exception of the OM clinic. CONCLUSIONS: Patients reported higher dental anxiety levels for dentist treatment as compared with dental hygienist treatment. Moreover, dental anxiety was significantly associated with perceived pain related to different dental hygienist treatment procedures.

Interpersonal relationships are important for communication, oral health education and patients' satisfaction with dental care. To assess patients' attitudes towards dental caregivers, a Swedish version of the revised Dental Belief Survey (DBS-R) and a comparable and partly new instrument the Dental Hygienist Belief Survey (DHBS) have been evaluated. The aim of the present study was to investigate if patients' attitudes towards dental hygienists (DH) and dentists (D) differ with regard to the separate items in DBS-R and DHBS. The study was a comparative cross-sectional study with 364 patients (students, general patients and patients with periodontal disease). All patients completed the DBS-R and DHBS surveys. The overall pattern in the results showed that participants in general had a less negative attitude towards DH when compared with that towards D. This was most pronounced among students and least pronounced among patients with periodontal disease. No statistically significant difference could be found in items with regard to feelings of shame and guilt in dental care situations, indicating that these items were rated on a more negative level also for DH. The conclusion is that participants had a less negative attitude towards DH with the exception of situations which may give rise to feelings of shame and guilt, an important finding for future dental hygiene care.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we investigated prolonged pain reactions in teenage orthodontic patients during a common orthodontic treatment. The aim was to examine factors predicting pain at the end of a follow-up week after placement of elastic separators. METHODS: Fifty-five patients (ages, 12-18 years) were included. Baseline assessments were made of perceived intensity of general and dental pain experiences, motivation for treatment, dental anxiety, and personality factors (self-esteem and temperament). Pain intensity was assessed on a visual analog scale, and pain medications were recorded. The patients were separated into pain and no-pain groups according to pain experiences at day 7. RESULTS: The pain group (mainly girls) had significantly higher ratings of treatment pain than in the non-pain group at all times measured except for the treatment day. Bivariate and multiple logistic regressions showed significant predictive power from motivation, dental anxiety, activity temperament, and vaccination pain. CONCLUSIONS: In this adolescent patient sample, low motivation for orthodontic treatment, high ratings of vaccination pain, elevated dental anxiety level, and low activity temperament characterized patients reporting pain 1 week after the elastic separators were placed.

OBJECTIVES: To study secular trends in cardiovascular risk factors in four different cohorts of women examined in 1968-1969, 1980-1981, 1992-1993 and 2004-2005. DESIGN: Comparison of four representative cohorts of 38- and 50-year-old women over a period of 36 years. SETTING: Gothenburg, Sweden with approximately 450,000 inhabitants. SUBJECTS: Four representative samples of 38- and 50-year-old women were invited to free health examinations (participation rate 59-90%, n =1901). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), leisure time exercise, use of antihypertensive medication, smoking, levels of haemoglobin, b-glucose, s-cholesterol, s-triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in mean BMI from 1968-1969 versus 2004-2005. Mean leisure time exercise was significantly higher in later born cohorts; in 1968, around 15% were physically active compared with 40% in 2004. SBP and DBP, mean s-cholesterol and s-triglyceride levels were significantly lower in both 38- and 50-year-old cohorts in 2004-2005 versus 1968-1969. HDL-cholesterol (not measured until 1992-1993), showed a significantly higher mean level in 2004-2005. Reduction of risk factors was apparent in women with a high as well as low level of physical activity. Smoking declined most in women with high levels of physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Several cardiovascular risk factors related to lifestyle have improved in middle-aged women from the 1960s until today. Most of the positive trends are observed in women with both low and high physical activity.

Aim To investigate sense of coherence in relation to oral health status. Method A stratified random sample of 910 individuals from Jönköping, Sweden, aged 20,30,40,50,60,70 and 80 years old, was used. The investigation contained the Swedish 13-items version of  the SOC questionnaire and a self-reported questionnaire about demographic information. In addition an oral clinical and radiographical examination was performed. Results A total of 525 individuals participated in the study, 261 men and 264 women. Socioeconomic factors such as age, marital status, income and education had a statistical significant association to SOC. Bivariate analyse showed that higher mean SOC scores had a statistically significant relationships with more decayed filled surfaces (DFS) and filled surfaces (FS), less caries severity, less teeth with calculus and a better periodontal health. Logistic regression analysis showed that Individuals with high SOC score were predictive of high DFS and FS  but low gingivitis scores. After controlling for age, high SOC scores showed a protective effect for gingivitis and dental plaque. Conclusions Socioeconomic factors had an association with SOC. Statistical associations were found between SOC scores and oral health status with regard to several important oral clinical variables and high SOC scores may indicate a protective determinant for gingivitis and plaque.