Objectives The Sense of coherence (SOC) questionnaire estimate an individual’s degree of an inside strength leading to a health promoting behaviour. The aim was to investigate sense of coherence in relation to oral health status. Method A stratified random sample of 910 individuals from Jönköping, Sweden, aged 20,30,40,50,60,70 and 80 years old, was used. The investigation contained the Swedish short version of  the SOC questionnaire with 13-items and a self-reported questionnaire about demographic information, oral health related behaviour and attitudes to oral health. In addition a clinical and radiographical examination was performed. Results A total of 525 individuals participated in the study, 261 men and 264 women. Socioeconomic factors such as age, marital status, income and education had a statistical significant association to SOC.  Bivariate analyse showed that higher mean SOC scores had a statistically significant relationships with more decayed filled surfaces (DFS) and filled surfaces (FS), less caries severity, less teeth with calculus and a better periodontal health. Logistic regression analysis showed that Individuals with high SOC score were predictive of high DFS (OR=3.3, CI 1.14-9.36) and FS  (OR=2.1, CI 0.98-4.31) but low gingivitis scores (OR=0.54, CI 0.30-0.95). After controlling for age, high SOC scores showed a protective effect for gingivitis (OR=0.52,  CI 0.29-0.94) and plaque (OR=0.61, CI 0.36-1.04). Conclusions Socioeconomic factors had an association with SOC. Statistical associations were found between SOC scores and oral health status with regard to several  important oral clinical variables and high SOC scores may indicate a protective determinant for gingivitis and plaque.

Känslan av sammanhang (KASAM) är ett frågeformulär som skattar förmågan till ett hälsofrämjande beteende. Syftet var att analysera sambandet mellan KASAM, sociodemografiska faktorer samt oralt status. Material och Metod: Populationen bestod av ett stratifierat slumpmässigt urval bestående av 910 individer från Jönköping, i åldrarna 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 och 80 år. Instrument som användes var den korta versionen av KASAM (13 frågor) samt ett frågeformulär innehållande sociodemografiska frågor. En klinisk och röntgenologisk undersökning genomfördes i anslutning till utlämnandet av enkäterna. Resultat: Totalt deltog 525 individer, 261 men och 264 kvinnor. Sociodemografiska faktorer som ålder, civilstånd, inkomst och utbildning hade en statistisk signifikant association med KASAM. Bivariat analys visade att individer med högre KASAM medelvärde hade statistiskt signifikant fler karierade och fyllda ytor (DFS) och fyllda ytor (FS), färre karierade ytor, färre tänder med tandsten och bättre parodontal hälsa. Efter kontrollering för bakgrundsfaktorer såsom kön, civilstånd, inkomst, utbildning och yrkesnivå, visade det sig att individer med hög KASAM poäng hade en större risk för högre DFS och FS men mindre risk för gingivit. Efter justering för ålder, visades hög KASAM poäng ha en förklarande betydelse för gingivit och plack. Konklusion: Sociodemografiska faktorer hade ett samband med KASAM. Dessutom visade analyserna samband mellan KASAM och fler viktiga orala variabler. Ytterligare studier rekommenderas avseende sambanden mellan KASAM och oral hälsa, där bl a oralt hälsobeteende och attityder till tandvård studeras.

Aim To investigate sense of coherence in relation to oral health status. Method A stratified random sample of 910 individuals from Jönköping, Sweden, aged 20,30,40,50,60,70 and 80 years old, was used. The investigation contained the Swedish 13-items version of  the SOC questionnaire and a self-reported questionnaire about demographic information. In addition an oral clinical and radiographical examination was performed. Results A total of 525 individuals participated in the study, 261 men and 264 women. Socioeconomic factors such as age, marital status, income and education had a statistical significant association to SOC. Bivariate analyse showed that higher mean SOC scores had a statistically significant relationships with more decayed filled surfaces (DFS) and filled surfaces (FS), less caries severity, less teeth with calculus and a better periodontal health. Logistic regression analysis showed that Individuals with high SOC score were predictive of high DFS and FS  but low gingivitis scores. After controlling for age, high SOC scores showed a protective effect for gingivitis and dental plaque. Conclusions Socioeconomic factors had an association with SOC. Statistical associations were found between SOC scores and oral health status with regard to several important oral clinical variables and high SOC scores may indicate a protective determinant for gingivitis and plaque.