Association of current employment status with oral health‐related behaviors: findings from the Finnish Health 2000 Survey

The aim of this study was to compare the oral health‐related behaviors of unemployed people with those of employed people and to assess whether they differ according to the length of unemployment. This study is part of the Health 2000 Survey in Finland. The cross‐sectional data were based on interviews and questionnaires. The present study comprised dentate participants, 30–63 yr of age (n = 4,670). Current employment status (employed vs. unemployed) and length of current unemployment (≤1, >1–2, >2–5, and >5 yr) were used as exposures. Binary logistic regression models were fitted separately for the oral health‐related behaviors, and latent class analysis (LCA) was used to form behavioral clusters. Current unemployment and being unemployed for longer than 5 yr were inversely associated with regular use of dental services. Current unemployment indicated non‐regular dental attendance, infrequent use of xylitol, daily smoking, and risky use of alcohol. Findings from the LCA supported the assumption that unemployed people could be considered as a risk group for poor oral health‐related behaviors.