A comparative study of oral health status in a migrant/Japanese sample.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the oral health status of migrants to Japan with that of Japanese using the questionnaire and the Oral Health Status Index (OHSI).

Methods: The questionnaire for collecting demographic and behavioral variables and the OHSI were applied in a mixed migrant/Japanese sample of patients from a dental clinic in Yokohama. A sample of 224 subjects, 52% of whom were migrants, was selected from new patients.

Results: The mean OHSI scores were 78.56 for migrants and 83.16 for Japanese (p<0.01). Multiple regression analysis of OHSI showed that the statistically significant contributors were: age, status (migrants / Japanese), reason for initial visit, perceived oral health, and flossing behavior.

Conclusion: The oral health status of migrants was worse than that of Japanese even though they were younger than Japanese. The present public support system for foreign patients and their self-care behavior were considered to be the factors for the inequity in oral health status.