Oral health promotion among Finnish adolescents between 1977 and 1989

In Finland a national, comprehensive preventive oriented oralhealth programme was implemented in 1972. Oral health habitsand services as well as their development were followed in theJuvenile Health Habit Study programme between 1977 and 1989.Postal questionnaires were sent to 12–18 year old Finnsevery second year from 1977. The response rates of the nationallyrepresentative samples were 79–88%. The most recent questionnairewas answered by 3220 adolescents (80%). Use of oral health services increased continuously from 1977to 1985. In 1985 there was a slight decrease in the use among16 and 18 year olds. Sex and socioeconomic differences in theuse of these services disappeared in 1985. In 1989 half of theadolescents had received instruction about oral hygiene butonly 20% about use of sugar during their last dental visit. Oral hygiene habits (toothbrushing and use of dental floss)improved slowly but continuously during the whole period Dailyuse of dental floss was still rare and one-third of the Finnishboys did not brush their teeth daily in 1989. The most common sugar-containing products used daily were hotsweet drinks (sugar-sweetened coffee, tea and hot chocolate).Use of sugar-sweetened coffee and cakes decreased but that ofsweets, soft drinks, sugar-sweetened tea and hot chocolate remainedunchanged. Use of sweetened yogurt increased slightly. The positive trend in the use of oral health services and oralhealth behaviour can be explained by the national oral healthpromotion programme. Extensive toothbrush and toothpaste advertisementsand changes in teenagers' life-style associated with urbanizationof the society may also have contributed to the improvements.