The Impact of Socioeconomic Status and Race-Ethnicity on Dental Health

In this study observers examine the effect of race-ethnicity and socioeconomic status on dental health and the ways in which health-related behaviors and regular dental care may bring about this relationship. Having good teeth is believed to be related to social mobility as well as economic and social success. (Hudson 8) Socioeconomic status has a huge effect on dental care. Studies have shown that the unfortunate and those with less education are less likely than others to have access to dental services when they are needed.(Hudson 9) The research study was conducted by splitting dental health in two way; as decayed tooth surfaces or missing tooth surfaces. Using the National Center for Health Statistics to collect data the survey selected more Mexican Americans and African Americans to allow for a better comparison between racial-ethnic groups.(Hudson 11) The data was not only conducted through dental examinations but also through personal interviews. Researchers also included income and education as a way to show that, “through access to resources, which is likely to be more related to income, or through lifestyle and health-related behaviors, which is more likely to be related to education.” (Hudson 10) The study used quantitative research, they used statistical models to analyze and explain the information gathered. The way of measuring dental health is through counts of decayed, missing, or filled dental surfaces or teeth. (Hudson 11) With dividing dental health as decayed or missing surfaces, it allows them to examine the ways in which race-ethnicity and socioeconomic status are related to poor dental treatment. The article stated that when a person has a missing surface it’s usually an indicator of using a less expensive dental treatment through the use of extraction rather than fillings. (Hudson 12) The study was also separated by age; dividing the participants younger than 65 and over 65. Also Whites, Blacks, and Mexican Americans were divided in equal proportions within each age group. As a result the weighed means show that the younger respondents had more decayed surfaces but the older participant had more missing surfaces. The younger respondents were also better educated and more exposed to smoking and sugars. (Hudson 13) The study also showed that White people younger than 65 have fewer decayed and missing surfaces. In second place was Mexican American with only a slight difference. The greatest number of decays and missing surfaces was the Blacks. Researchers discovered that age is also strongly related to race-ethnicity because the minority groups have much more younger age distribution than whites.