The role of education on the association between ethnicity and tooth loss

Abstract

Aim: To explore the association between tooth loss and ethnicity and to assess the mediating role of education in this relationship. Methods: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from adults aged 16 and over who participated in the Health Survey for England in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2005. Key variables included ethnicity, education, socioeconomic status, and occupational class. Logistic regression and interaction analysis assessed associations between ethnicity and edentulousness, adjusted for education. Results: Edentulousness was less prevalent among younger participants, individuals of Asian descent, and those with higher income, education, and managerial occupations. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, ethnic disparities persisted. Black Caribbean individuals with no education had 37% [95% CI = 1.04–1.80] higher odds, and those with A-levels had 43% [95% CI = 0.34–0.96] lower odds of tooth loss. Conclusion: There is a complex interplay between ethnicity, education and tooth loss. Public health interventions are needed to target oral health education and improve access to care, particularly for ethnic minorities and lower socioeconomic groups.