Prepared by: Martin Ranfl, Jona Bambič 
Date of last change: November 2017

Purpose and justification of the indicator

The World Health Organization defines oral health as an important component of overall health and well-being. An appropriate attitude towards oral health includes: brushing teeth twice a day with toothpaste (with recommended fluoride concentration), visits to the dentist at least once a year and an appropriate health-related lifestyle (healthy eating habits, smoking, not drinking alcohol).
Brushing your teeth often enough is a simple and effective way to reduce the level of dental plaque and is the most important way for an individual to take care of himself to maintain oral hygiene and, consequently, to maintain and strengthen oral health. In addition to the direct impact on the quality of life, oral health is also related to some other medical conditions (cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, complications during pregnancy).
Oral hygiene, dietary habits, provision of protective substances and level of awareness are also influenced by social status, demographic factors and the organization and accessibility of dental care. Professionals who prepare recommendations and promote an appropriate attitude to oral health, educate and provide clinical care have a great responsibility here. Also at the municipal level, support is needed to establish conditions that would enable the proper implementation of preventive activities and increase awareness of the importance of oral health (school for parents, workshops with a demonstration of brushing teeth and its implementation in the presence of the workshop provider in kindergartens and schools). Only in this way will we be able to achieve better oral health in the population, which is an important indicator of the country's development.

Definition of indicator

The indicator "Brushing teeth" shows the number of people aged 25 - 74 who brushed their teeth at least twice a day in the last year.

Unit of measure

Calculation of the indicator

The indicator "Brushing teeth" shows the ratio between the number of persons who answered the question "How often do you brush your teeth" in the Health-related Behavioral Style Survey that they brush their teeth twice or more a day in the last 12 months, and the number of all persons, who answered the questionnaire, multiplied by 100.
Brushing teeth
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mfrac><mrow><mi>T</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>e</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>n</mi><mi>u</mi><mi>m</mi><mi>b</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>o</mi><mi>f</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>p</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>p</mi><mi>l</mi><mi>e</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>w</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>o</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>b</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>u</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>d</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>t</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>r</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>t</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>h</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>a</mi><mi>t</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>l</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>t</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>t</mi><mi>w</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>c</mi><mi>e</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>a</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>d</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>y</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>i</mi><mi>n</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>t</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>e</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>l</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>t</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>y</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>T</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>e</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>n</mi><mi>u</mi><mi>m</mi><mi>b</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>o</mi><mi>f</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>a</mi><mi>l</mi><mi>l</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>p</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>s</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>w</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>o</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>r</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>p</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>d</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>d</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>t</mi><mi>o</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>t</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>e</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>s</mi><mi>u</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>v</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>y</mi><mo>&#160;</mo><mi>q</mi><mi>u</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>s</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>i</mi><mi>r</mi><mi>e</mi></mrow></mfrac><mo>&#215;</mo><mn>100</mn></math>
The indicator for the municipality is calculated on the basis of a model that takes into account the prevalence of tooth brushing at the level of the administrative unit and the demographic data of the municipality.

Data sources for Slovenia

Health-Related Behavioral Style (CINDI) Survey, National Institute of Public Health.

Time availability

Data is collected periodically. The research was conducted in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016.

Men in literature

<ol>
<li>World Health Organisation. Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. Report of a joint WHO/FAO expert consultation. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO Technical Report Series 916); 2003. <a href="http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/trs916/en/">http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/publications/trs916/en/</a></li>
<li>Ranfl M, Oikonomidis C, Kosem R, Artnik B. Education for oral health: nutrition and hygiene, professional starting points. Ljubljana. National Institute of Public Health: 2015. Available at URL: <a href="http://www.nijz.si/sites/www.nijz.si/files/publikacije-datoteke/vzgoja_za_ustno_zdravje_pop_17_03_2017.pdf">http://www.nijz.si/sites/www.nijz.si/files/publikacije-datoteke/vzgoja_za_ustno_zdravje_pop_17_03_2017.pdf</a></li>
<li>Petersen PE. Inequalities in oral health: the social context for oral health. In: Pine CM, Harris R, eds. Community oral health. 2nd ed. New Malden Surrey, United Kingdom: Quintessence Publishing Co. Ltd; 2007: 31-58</li>
<li>Skalerič U. Periodontal medicine - the intersection between medicine and dentistry. Zdrav Vestn 2000; 69:23-7</li>
</ol>

Notes

<ul>
<li>The survey includes people aged 25-74.</li>
<li>The survey does not cover the population residing in the institution at the time of the survey.</li>
<li>Answers from people who have at least one tooth in their mouth are taken into account. Dental status is self-reported.</li>
<li>Due to the wording of the question, it is not possible to obtain data from the survey on the duration of tooth brushing and the associated use of fluoride toothpaste, dental floss or interdental brushes, which is otherwise a guideline for ensuring adequate oral hygiene and health of teeth and periodontal tissues.</li>
</ul>

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