The Impact of Toothbrushing Timing on Perceived Oral Health Status among Older Adults

Background: To determine the impact of toothbrushing timing on perceived oral health status among adults aged 65∼80 years in Korea using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) database of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Methods: Data from KNHANES VIII and IX conducted between 2021 and 2023, were analyzed. Of the 20,738 participants in KNHANES VIII and IX, 5,340 adults between the ages of 65∼80 years who completed the questionnaire on the perceived oral health status were included. Data on perceived oral health status and tooth brushing timing were analyzed according to sociodemographic characteristics. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the perceived oral health status according to toothbrushing time. The analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and related covariates. Results: These findings highlight the disparities in toothbrushing behaviors and perceived oral health status based on demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors. Participants who brushed after breakfast and lunch but not after dinner (adjusted odds ratios: 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06∼1.77) and those who brushed after dinner but not after breakfast and lunch (adjusted odds ratios: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.00∼2.07) consistently showed significantly higher probabilities of good perceived oral health status even after adjusting for all confounders. Conclusion: The study concludes that among older adults, toothbrushing only after breakfast and lunch or exclusively in the evening is associated with a more positive perception of subjective oral health compared with brushing after every meal.