Study Finds Link Between Poor Oral Health and Childhood Adversity
In a study of more than 5,000 subjects in Southern England, researchers found a strong association between negative childhood experiences and poor oral health in adulthood.
In a study of more than 5,000 subjects in Southern England, researchers found a strong association between negative childhood experiences—including but not limited to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse—and poor oral health in adulthood. Researchers noted the strongest links in the presence of tooth loss and numbers of decayed, missing, or filled teeth.
Published in the March 30, 2020 issue of BMC Oral Health, the article concluded that oral health professionals should be prepared to identify signs and symptoms of abuse or neglect in their patients in addition to considering this potential when treating patients with poor oral health.
From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. April 2020;18(4):10.
