Adolescents' sense of coherence and smoking as longitudinal predictors of self-reported gingivitis

• Published in: Journal of clinical periodontology 2008-11, Vol.35 (11), p.931-937
• Main Authors: Ayo-Yusuf, Olalekan A., Reddy, Priscilla S., Van Den Borne, Bart W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; adolescents; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Dentistry; Female; Forecasting; gingivitis; Gingivitis - psychology; Humans; Internal-External Control; Male; Medical sciences; Oral Hygiene; Regression Analysis; Risk Factors; Self Disclosure; self-reporting; sense of coherence; Smoking; Socioeconomic Factors; South Africa; Stress, Psychological; stress-coping; Tobacco, tobacco smoking; Toothbrushing - utilization; Toxicology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0303-6979; 1600-051X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2008.01319.x

Objective: This study sought to determine the influence of sense of coherence (SOC), a personal stress‐coping resource, and smoking on the self‐reported gingival health of a cohort of rural black South African adolescents. Methods: This 18‐month study involved a three‐wave survey of a representative sample of eighth graders from 11 randomly selected high schools in the Limpopo province, South Africa (n=970). Using a generalized estimating equation model, we examined the correlates of recent gingivitis, defined as self‐reporting frequent gingival bleeding (GB). Explanatory variables included baseline socio‐economic status, age, gender, plaque levels, toothbrushing frequency, tobacco use status and SOC levels. Results: Among our sample, 74.6% reported experiencing gingivitis at some point during follow‐up, while 41.9% reported frequent GB at the last survey. Factors that were positively associated with recent gingivitis include living in poor households [odds ratio (OR)=1.49; p