OBJECTIVES: To report the prevalence of dental @entity148 in Swedish 15-year-olds over a 30-year period (1973-2003) and how dental @entity148 relates to oral health. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: The study used a repeated cross-sectional design. @entity1 : In 1973, 1983, 1993, and 2003, random samples of 96 to 107 15-year-olds were selected from the city of J  nk  ping, Sweden, 405 overall. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Dental @entity148 (DA) and its association with oral health (caries, @entity2522 , plaque, fillings) were analysed (a = 0.05). RESULTS: The proportions of dentally anxious during the period were 38% (n = 37) in 1973, 26% (n = 28) in 1983, 18% (n = 15) in 1993 and 13% (n = 12) in 2003 a clearly decreasing trend with time. The strongest predictor of DA was gender, with @entity1 reporting higher levels of DA. In three of the four examination years, adolescents with DA had more filled permanent surfaces than those without DA. Those with DA had a greater caries experience only in 1973. No associations were found between DA and plaque or @entity2522 . Multivariate logistic modelling confirmed that DA decreased over time and that @entity1 had higher levels of DA. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a clear decrease in DA in 15-year-olds over a 30-year period, with a greater proportion of @entity1 being more dentally anxious. The results also indicate a relationship between DA and oral health; the dentally anxious having more filled surfaces and, only in 1973, more decayed tooth surfaces.

Dental XXXX and oral health in 15-year-olds: a repeated cross-sectional study over 30 years.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['PARTICIPANTS', 'girls'] @entity2522 :: ('MESH:D005891', 'Disease') :: ['gingivitis'] @entity148 :: ('MESH:D001008', 'Disease') :: ['anxiety']
@entity148 :: (MESH:D001008,Disease) :: ['anxiety']
