Periodontal status among male industrial workers in southern Finland with or without access to subsidized dental care.

The association between subsidized dental care and periodontal status was studied in male industrial workers in southern Finland in 1994. Clinical examinations and a multiple-choice questionnaire were completed for 325 workers (age, 38-65 years) with access to subsidized dental care and 174 controls without access. The CPITN scores based on full-mouth recordings were analyzed, using both the individual and sextant as units of analysis. Overall, 6% of the subsidized group and 2% of the control group had no periodontal treatment need (p < 0.05). Deep pockets > or = 6 mm were found in 5% of the subsidized workers and 11% of the controls (p < 0.05). In the logistic regression analyses the probability of calculus was negatively associated with access to subsidized dental care. Smoking was the strongest independent factor affecting periodontal status. Our findings show a positive relationship between access to subsidized dental care and periodontal status.