1 How the interval of routine dental check-ups affects adult oral health

Abstract

We evaluated how the interval of oral health check-ups affects oral health promotion in the workplace. We studied 27 males and 132 females who received oral health check-ups for over 10 years. The findings from the initial and most recent check-ups were compared for each group. We found that the number of subjects whose check-up interval was less than two years showed an increase in CPI (Community Periodontal Index) code 0 compared with other groups, while they showed a decrease in codes 3 and 4. As the interval of the check-ups increased, the oral health was poorer. In particular, periodontal status worsened in the subjects whose check-up interval was greater than 5 years. On the other hand, there was no relationship between the DMFT index and check-up interval. Based on these results, we concluded that oral health check-ups are useful for promoting the oral health of workers.