Sociodemographic correlates of tooth pain among adults: United States, 1989

Abstract

This study presents the sociodemographic distribution of tooth pain and the dental care utilization of affected individuals. Data for adults 20 years of age and over were derived from the 1989 National Health Interview Survey's supplements on dental health, orofacial pain, and health insurance (n=33073). Prevalence of tooth pain by socioeconomic status (SES) and adjusted odds ratios of reporting tooth pain in the past 6 months and of having no dental visits in the past year among persons reporting pain in the previous 6 months were computed taking into account the survey's complex sample design. Tooth pain in the past 6 months was reported by 14.5% (95% CI 14.0, 15.0) of adults aged 20-64 years and by 7.0% (95% CI 6.1, 7.9) of those 65 years and over. In the younger age group, tooth pain was more likely to be reported by those with low SES than it was by those with high SES; in the older age group, tooth pain was more likely reported by non-Hispanic blacks than it was by non-Hispanic whites or Hispanics. Of those reporting pain, younger and older non-Hispanic blacks and persons with lower educational attainment were more likely not to have a dental visit in the previous 12 months. Persons with low SES characteristics were more likely to report tooth pain and to endure their pain without the benefit of dental care while the pain was present.

Using Virtual Human Technology to Capture Dentists’ Decision Policies about Pain

“…The study also found significant race-by-age interactions for pain intensity ratings and willingness to administer opioid analgesics. Previous research has indicated that younger African Americans are more likely to report dental pain than their demographic counterparts (Vargas et al, 2000). Our results suggest that dentists assess the pain of younger African Americans higher than that of older African Americans.…”

“…In turn, it would make sense that dentists would be more willing to prescribe opioids to younger African Americans than to older African Americans. The research also suggests that people living below the poverty line are more likely to experience more dental pain due to their lack of access to care (Vargas et al, 2000). It is possible that race is confounded by high poverty status, and dentists have generalized these results.…”

Why is pain more common amongst people living in areas of low socio-economic status? A population-based cross-sectional study

“…3,4,6 However, some pain studies have failed to find an association. 17,18,19,20,21 These studies only used one variable, for example social class or income, to measure deprivation.…”

“…Locker 5 showed that subjects with low educational or economic status were more likely to report one or more oro-facial pain symptoms. More recently, Vargas et al 6 found that for persons aged 20 -64 years of age, those with lower socio-economic status characteristics were more likely to report tooth pain, and endure their pain without the benefit of dental care, than are their counterparts with higher socio-economic status characteristics. However, these studies did not establish why people of lower social class are more likely to have pain.…”

Desigualdades contextuais e individuais da prevalência de dor dentária em adultos e idosos no Brasil

“…Além disso, a prevalência de dor de dente tem sido relatada como sendo mais elevada em meninas e mulheres 2,5 , nas pessoas de menor esco-laridade e renda 10,11,12 , em adultos jovens 5 e em indivíduos com menor acesso a cuidados bási-cos de saúde 13 . O lugar de residência (urbano ou rural), o grau de desenvolvimento social (maior ou menor Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano -IDH) e a frequência de escovação dentária também interferem na prevalência de dor dentária 11,14 , assim como o tabagismo, o consumo de ál-cool, hábitos alimentares não saudáveis e a presença de cáries dentárias 2,15,16 .…”