Objectives
This study aimed to determine the oral health behaviors of the elderly using the STEPS questionnaire recommended by the World Health Organization and to analyze the relationships between social support, self-esteem and oral health behaviors.

Methods
The institutions were selected based on ‘2016 Elderly Welfare Facilities Status’. A total of 195 people participated in this interview. The questionnaire of 40 items was used for the interview and was included the following: a) sociodemographic and health-related characteristics (12 items), b) oral health behaviors (6 items), c) social support (12 items), d) self-esteem (10 items). The statistical analysis was performed for the descriptive statistics, reliability test, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression with stepwise by SPSS 23.0 program.

Results
The 165 of 195 elderly people (84.6%) brush their teeth twice a day, however only 74 of 195 (38.0%) used oral care products. Although there were many elderly people (64.6%) who visited the dentist within a year, only a few (24.6%) visited the dentist for preventive purposes. Oral health behaviors had a positive correlation with self-esteem, significant others’ support, and friends’ support ( .337, .270, .254, P< .01, respectively). According to multiple regression analysis to identify factors affecting oral health behaviors, ‘self-esteem’, ‘significant others’ support’, ‘perceived health status’, ‘the number of existing permanent tooth’, ‘friends’ support’, ‘degree of exercise’, ‘gender’ and ‘average monthly expenditure’ had a significant effect on oral health behaviors. ‘Age’, ‘education’, ‘living arrangement’, ‘perceived oral health status’, ‘denture use’, ‘taking medicine’, and ‘family’s support’ had not a significant effect.

Conclusions
We have demonstrated that social support and self-esteem might act as a major predictor of oral health behaviors. These results might suggest that psychosocial factors needs to be taken into account in the oral health education for elderly people.