Sociodemographic factors associated with the dental health of persons with diabetes in France

This paper describes and compares the oral health status among people with and without diabetes in France, and analyzes the related socioeconomic factors. The study is based on data from the cross- sectional national health survey conducted in France from 2002 to 2003, which included 19,231 people over 35 years of age, among whom 1,111 reported having diabetes. Data were collected through interviews that inquired about oral health status and use of dental care services, income, educational level, health insurance, place of residence, and birthplace. The prevalence of oral health problems was higher among subjects who had diabetes, compared with those who were nondiabetic (16.4% vs. 13.4%). Dental care utilization during the survey period was reported to be 8.7% among subjects who were diabetic versus 12.9% among those who were nondiabetic. The subjects with diabetes were more likely to have dental problems (OR = 1.47, CI = 1.03- 2.08) and wear removable dentures (partial and complete) when their income was lower (OR = 2.17, CI = 1.52-3.10). There were social inequalities in oral health among people with diabetes in France according to income level.