The relationship between self-reported hearing impairment and dental care utilisation.

Background Hearing loss, defined as the inability to hear sounds at 20 decibels or higher in both ears, affects over 1.5 billion individuals globally, a number expected to rise to 2.5 billion by 2050. This condition impacts various aspects of life, including dental health. Previous studies have shown a high prevalence of dental caries among individuals with hearing impairments. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between hearing impairment and access to dental care.Methods This cross-sectional study used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Descriptive analysis, chi-square tests and logistic regression models were used to explore the associations between hearing conditions and dental health, adjusting for confounders such as age, sex and race/ethnicity.Results A sample size of 14,801 was used. Significant associations were observed between hearing conditions and dental health-related variables. Adjusted logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals with mild to severe hearing difficulty were significantly less likely to have visited a dentist in the past year (OR: 1.28; p <0.001).Conclusions Individuals with mild to severe hearing difficulty are significantly less likely to visit a dentist. The findings of this study highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve access to dental care in individuals with hearing impairment.