Self-rated oral health status and social and health determinants among community dwelling adults in Kenya

Background: The aims of this study were to estimate the self-rated oral health status and its associated factors in a national community dwelling population in Kenya.
Methods: A cross-sectional study based on a stratified cluster random sampling was conducted in 2015. The total sample included 4,459 individuals 18-69 years (M=40.4 years, SD=13.9). Questionnaire interview, blood pressure and anthropometric measurements, and biochemistry tests were conducted, including questions on the oral health status, general health status, oral health behaviour and socio-demographic information.
Results: Overall, 13.7% of participants reported poor self-rated oral health. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, older age (Odds Ratio-OR: 1.70, Confidence Interval-CI: 1.07, 2.69), having a lower number lover number of teeth (OR: 0.19, CI: 0.06, 0.62), having dentures (OR: 1.92, CI: 1.22, 3.03), having pain in the mouth or teeth (OR: 5.62, CI: 3.58, 8.90), impaired Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OR: 3.01, CI: 2.03, 4.47) and frequent soft drink consumption (OR: 3.62, CI: 1.89, 6.97) were associated with poor self-rated oral health.
Conclusion: High unsatisfied self-rated oral health status was found and several risk factors for poor self-rated oral health were identified that can help in guiding oral health care programming in Kenya.

Keywords
Self-rated oral health status; oral conditions; oral health behaviour; general health status; general health behaviour; adults; Kenya.