Self-assessed dental health, oral health practices, and general health behaviors in Chinese urban adolescents

Assessment of Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and DMFT Scores among Patients at King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa

Background and Objectives: Oral health is one of the most significant issues in public health. The Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) Index is a useful tool for assessing and measuring the state of oral health in a community. This study aimed to evaluate oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices among participants who visited a dental clinic at King Faisal University and to evaluate their DMFT scores. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted at the King Faisal University dental complex, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, using a simple random sampling technique. The data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire in English and Arabic. All statistical analyses were carried out using the SPSS 20 software. A chi square and ANOVA test were used to assess the association. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were a total of 260 participants, of whom 193 (74.2%) were male and 67 (25.8%) were female. Most participants, 173 (66.5%), were between the ages of 18 and 28. The majority of the participants 191 (73.5%) believed that bad oral hygiene led to gum disease. Additionally, major issues while visiting dental clinics, the importance of routine dental clinic visits, the existence of a connection between oral and general health, brushing time and frequency of change of used brush were significantly influenced by gender (p < 0.05). In terms of the DMFT index, mean numbers of decaying teeth (D) were 4.82 ± 4.15, mean numbers of missing teeth (M) were 1.56 ± 2.94, mean numbers of filled teeth (F) were 5.17 ± 5.28 and mean DMFT score was 11.56 ± 6.32, with a statistically significant difference observed (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study concluded that, although some of the study participants neglected oral hygiene practices, the majority of participants had good knowledge and attitudes regarding the significance of oral hygiene. Owing to inadequate practices, the decayed, missing, and filled teeth scores increased with increasing age. Additionally, gender had no significant impact on the mean scores for decayed, missing, and filled teeth, although there were significant differences between age groups.

Clinical consequences of untreated dental caries and school performance in low-income adolescents

BACKGROUND

The possible link between dental status and school performance has been investigated. The influence of the clinical consequences of untreated dental caries in this association, however, has been minimally explored.

AIM

To assess the relationship between clinical consequences of untreated dental caries and school performance in adolescents, and to examine the demographics and socioeconomic status pathways by which clinical consequences of untreated dental caries is associated with school performance.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study involving 363 low-income school adolescents was conducted in the city of Manaus, Brazil. Dental clinical measures were registered by five calibrated examiners to evaluate dental caries experience (decayed, missing, and filled teeth index [DMFT]) and clinical sequelae of dental caries (PUFA/pufa index). School performance was assessed using school grade history obtained from official records. Statistical analysis was conducted using pathway analysis to estimate beta coefficients (β) of the direct and indirect effects between variables.

RESULTS

DMFT and PUFA/pufa mean were 1.93 and 0.30, respectively. PUFA/pufa scores (β = -0.19) and male sex (β = 0.35) directly predicted poor school performance. DMFT was indirectly linked to poor school performance via PUFA/pufa scores (β = -0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Dental caries and clinical consequences of dental caries were important predictors of poor school performance in low-income adolescents via direct and indirect effects.

Improving dental-oral health learning in students using a mobile application ("My tooth"): A controlled before and after study

OBJECTIVES

Tooth decay is one of the most common problems amongst students. Despite considerable educational interventions, it is still very prevalent. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of a dental-oral health mobile educational application with the common dental-oral health education amongst elementary school students.

METHODS

This interventional study was carried out on 158 girl students in the age range of 10-12 years in Mobarakeh City, Iran. The participants were categorized into the intervention and control groups and investigated in the academic year of 2018-2019. The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire with confirmed validity and reliability. Initially, all students completed the questionnaires. Later, the intervention group members were trained using dental-oral health mobile educational application and control group received the common dental-oral health educations in lectures and demonstrations. Two months after the last intervention, the same questionnaire was completed and data were analysed by SPSS software.

RESULTS

Before the intervention, the mean score of behaviour was 13.69 ± 3.89 and 13.93 ± 3.02 (of 21) for the intervention and control groups. At this phase, the difference between the two groups was not significant in the studied dimensions (p > 0.05). After the intervention, mean scores of the intervention group increased significantly with regard to all variables (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings of this study confirmed the positive effect of learning through mobile applications on increasing the students' knowledge, attitude and performance regarding dental-oral health education.

Global and regional estimates of dental pain among children and adolescents-systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

We aimed to evaluate the pooled prevalence of dental pain amongst children and adolescents.

METHODS

Studies conducted in children and adolescents up to18 years of age and where prevalence of dental is reported or calculated were included. Search was performed in four major databases from inception to June 1st, 2019. Prevalence estimate at the maximal recall for the dental pain for the individual study was used to calculate the overall pooled estimate.

RESULTS

The prevalence of dental pain ranged from 1.33 to 87.8% in the included publications for quantitative synthesis (n = 97). More than half of the publications reported the lifetime prevalence of dental pain (n = 51) while few studies reported the current prevalence of dental pain (n = 3) and only one study evaluated the dental pain in the past one week. Heterogeneity was high among the included publications (Q = 49,063.12; P < 0.001; df = 96 and I² = 99.8; P < 0.001). Overall pooled prevalence of dental pain was 32.7 (CI = 29.6-35.9). No difference was seen with respect to the trends in prevalence of dental pain (Coefficient: 0.005; 95% CI - 0.001-0.011; P-value: 0.101).

CONCLUSION

Two out of ten children below five years, four out of ten children between 6 and 12 years and three out of ten adolescents between 13 and 18 years would have experienced pain in the past. Overall, three out of ten children or adolescents might have experienced dental pain in the past. There was no difference in the pain prevalence between male and females. Studies from Africa reported highest pooled prevalence (50.1%) with least being from Australia (20.7%). Studies from India (40.4%), China (41.3%) and Iran (42.6%) reported high pooled prevalence estimates of dental pain.

Oral health and academic performance or absenteeism: Findings from a University in Southern Brazil

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between oral health conditions and academic performance and absenteeism in university students.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out on a comprehensive sample of 1865 freshman students from the Federal University of Pelotas/Southern Brazil in 2017. A self-administered questionnaire was applied in the classroom, inquiring about socioeconomic, demographic, psychological, academic characteristics and oral conditions (tooth loss, self-reported oral health and toothache). For the dependent variables, academic performance was evaluated by the question: 'How would you describe your academic performance?' while absenteeism was assessed with the question 'In the last six months, have you missed some class for dental reasons?'. Multivariable analyses used hierarchical Poisson regression with backward selection.

RESULTS

The prevalence of low academic performance was 38.6% and absenteeism due to dental reasons 6.2%. The prevalence of toothache and poor self-perceived oral health was 28% and 20%, respectively. Multivariable analysis found low academic performance to be more prevalent in students with poor self-perceived oral health (PR 1.46; 95% CI 1.22-1.77), and absenteeism to be almost six times more prevalent (PR 5.85; 95% CI 3.84-8.90) in students reporting toothache.

CONCLUSIONS

Poor oral health is associated with both poor academic performance and absenteeism in university students.

Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices among Postgraduate Students of Panjab University, Chandigarh: A Cross-sectional Study

Background

Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the most commonly occurring dental problems. Proper knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) of oral health of young adults will help in prevention of these diseases.

Aim

To comparatively evaluate the oral health KAPs related to oral health of postgraduate students of Panjab University, Chandigarh, with respect to gender and different departments.

Setting and design

A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire that assessed KAPs of postgraduate students, aged 17–25 years.

Materials and methods

This survey was undertaken on 600 postgraduate students of Panjab University, Chandigarh. The sample was divided into 3 groups: group I—arts students (n = 200), group II—science students (n = 200), and group III—commerce students (n = 200). Data were collected and subjected to statistical analysis.

Statistical analysis used

Chi-squared test was used for comparison between different groups. ANOVA and Kruskal–Wallis compared the data between different departments, and Mann–Whitney U test between males and females.

Results

The students of arts had significantly lesser knowledge of oral health compared with other departments. About 65% arts students believed that sweets/soft drinks/chips were causing tooth decay compared with 83% science and 80% commerce students (p value < 0.001). About 52.5% arts students had knowledge that blood on the toothbrush was indicative of gum disease followed by 67% science and 76% commerce students (p value < 0.001).

Conclusion

In our study, there was no significant difference in gender with respect to KAPs of oral health but a significant difference was observed among different departments with arts students showing significantly lesser knowledge.

How to cite this article

Verma L, Passi S, Sharma U, et al. Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices among Postgraduate Students of Panjab University, Chandigarh: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2020;13(2):113–118.

Perceived oral health status and treatment needs of dental students

Introduction:

The aim of this study is to determine the oral health status, anxiety levels, and perceived dental treatment needs of dental students in India.

Materials and Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional study of students from Kalka Dental College, India, was conducted using self-administered questionnaire to obtain information on demography, self-reported oral health status, knowledge of the impact of oral health on daily life activity, anxiety levels, dental attendance, and perceived dental needs.

Results:

Fifty-three percent of respondents rated their oral health as good and almost all (99%) agreed that oral health is a part of general health. Out of 80.1% who had previous dental treatment, scaling and polishing accounted for 16%, whereas 19% had their orthodontic treatment done. At present, their perceived dental treatment needs range from scaling and polishing (36.98%) and fillings (29.79%) to orthodontic treatment (33.2%). Forty-six percent of patients reported a feeling of anxiety while visiting a dentist.

Conclusion:

This survey revealed that most of the students are aware that oral health is a component of general health and that it has an impact on an individual's daily life. More than half of the students perceived their oral health as good, but only a few knew that there is a need for a preventive approach to oral health as evident by the percentage that perceived scaling and polishing as a treatment need.

Oral Health Knowledge, Perceptions, and Habits of Adolescents from Portugal, Romania, and Sweden: A Comparative Study

Aims

The study aimed to assess and compare the self-reported oral health knowledge, habits, and perceptions of adolescents in Portugal, Romania, and Sweden and the factors that may affect them.

Materials and Methods

An oral health questionnaire with 25 questions was put together in English language and translated into Portuguese, Romanian, and Swedish language to investigate and compare oral health-related knowledge, habits, and perceptions of adolescents from the different countries. A voluntary sample of 879 teenagers completed it, mean aged 14.9 (±1.83) years, from Romania (n = 455), Portugal (n = 200), and Sweden (n = 224) as part of the EuHyDens project. The survey took place between November 2015 and June 2016.

Results

It showed some differences between the countries studied but more similarities between Portuguese and Romanian adolescents as related to perceptions of oral health and the use of oral services. Sweden and Portugal are more similar regarding oral health habits (toothbrushing and diet) as compared to Romanian adolescents. Portuguese adolescents have a higher oral health-related knowledge.

Conclusion

Assessment of knowledge, perceptions, and habits of a population is essential for the adequate understanding of the oral health-care needs of the society. From the data collected, several differences were found. These differences can be used for tailor interventions to minimize inequalities between countries.

Relationship between General Health Behaviors and Oral Health Behaviors in 2015-2016 NHANES Adult Population

OBJECTIVES

 The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between general health behaviors and oral health behaviors in adults who participated in the interview component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) of 2015 to 2016.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 This was a cross-sectional study design of a national data set that included 5,992 adults who represented a sample of civilian, noninstitutionalized US population.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

 Chi-squared test of independence was used to describe the relationship of demographic information with oral health behaviors of participants. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between general and oral health behaviors.

RESULTS

 More than half (53.6%) of the participants had seen a dentist in the past 12 months and the main reason for that visit was for a regular checkup, cleaning, or examination. More than one-quarter (28.7%) reported visiting a dentist because something was hurting or bothering them. Most respondents (63.4%) reported being hardly ever or never having been embarrassed by their mouth condition. Age at one's first sexual encounter, having a new sexual partner, mental health counseling, moderate- intensity sports, and computer use were significantly associated with positive oral health behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

 For maximum effectiveness, health promotion efforts should target risk behaviors common to both oral and general health.

Oral health, academic performance, and school absenteeism in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide a summary estimate of the association between oral health and academic performance.

TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED

The authors conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar for studies on oral health, school absence, and academic achievement published in English from January 1945 through December 2017. Exposures included subjectively or objectively measured caries, oral pain, and periodontitis. Outcomes included school absence and school achievement.

RESULTS

The authors screened a total of 2,041 studies, from which they extracted data from 14 studies of 139,989 children (12 cross-sectional studies, 1 case-control study, and 1 longitudinal study). Five studies had school absence as the primary outcome, and 7 studies had student achievement as the primary outcome. Three studies included both outcomes. The authors found no studies for periodontitis. The average modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score was 3.93. The authors rated 10 studies as having a low risk of bias and 4 as having a high risk of bias. Qualitative synthesis suggested that poor oral health may have negative effects on student absenteeism and achievement, but study quality was highly variable. Results from meta-analyses indicated that poor oral health was significantly associated with increased odds of poor academic performance (pooled odds ratio, 1.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.20 to 1.83) and absenteeism (pooled odds ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.24 to 1.63).

CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Increased focus on the broader implications of improvements in oral health for children, such as educational or socioemotional development, is of further interest to practicing dentists owing to the greater connection between oral health and general health. The authors of this study found that caries or tooth pain had a negative association with academic achievement and school absenteeism. However, study quality was limited by inconsistent exposure and outcome definitions and a predominance of cross-sectional designs. Thus, causal conclusions are not supported.

Does oral health influence school performance and school attendance? A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

To examine the evidence on the influence of oral health status on school performance and school attendance in children and adolescents.

DESIGN

A systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA included epidemiological studies that assessed concomitantly oral health measures, participants' school performance and/or school attendance. Electronic search was conducted on MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and LILACS. Studies published up to May 2018 in any language were eligible. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis was used to obtain pooled estimates between oral health measures and school performance and school attendance.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies were included. Of them, fifteen studies were used for the meta-analyses. Most studies were assessed as moderate quality. Children with one or more decayed teeth had higher probability of poor school performance (OR = 1.44 95%CI: 1.24-1.64) and poor school attendance (OR = 1.57 95%CI: 1.08-2.05) than caries-free children. Poor parent's perception of child's oral health increased the odds of worse school performance (OR = 1.51 95%CI: 1.10-1.92) and poor school attendance (OR = 1.35 95%CI: 1.14-1.57).

CONCLUSIONS

Children and adolescents with dental caries and those reporting worse oral health experience poor school performance and poor school attendance.

Individual and contextual factors influencing dental health care utilization by preschool children: a multilevel analysis

The effect of contextual factors on dental care utilization was evaluated after adjustment for individual characteristics of Brazilian preschool children. This cross-sectional study assessed 639 preschool children aged 1 to 5 years from Santa Maria, a town in Rio Grande do Sul State, located in southern Brazil. Participants were randomly selected from children attending the National Children's Vaccination Day and 15 health centers were selected for this research. Visual examinations followed the ICDAS criteria. Parents answered a questionnaire about demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Contextual influences on children's dental care utilization were obtained from two community-related variables: presence of dentists and presence of workers' associations in the neighborhood. Unadjusted and adjusted multilevel logistic regression models were used to describe the association between outcome and predictor variables. A prevalence of 21.6% was found for regular use of dental services. The unadjusted assessment of the associations of dental health care utilization with individual and contextual factors included children's ages, family income, parents' schooling, mothers' participation in their children's school activities, dental caries, and presence of workers' associations in the neighborhood as the main outcome covariates. Individual variables remained associated with the outcome after adding contextual variables in the model. In conclusion, individual and contextual variables were associated with dental health care utilization by preschool children.

Predictors of Oral Health Behaviors in Female Students: An Application of the Health Belief Model

BACKGROUND

Oral and dental health diseases can affect the general health of students.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to identify the predictors of oral and dental health behavior using the health belief model (HBM) in female students in Teheran, Iran.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study framed by the HBM, including 400 female students living in district 5 of Tehran, Iran. The sampling technique used in this study was multi-stage stratified random sampling. The data on the HBM constructs (perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy) and demographic characteristics were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and linear regression were performed to analyze the data, using the SPSS software, version 18.

RESULTS

The results showed that there were relationships between the knowledge, perceived barriers, cues to action, and mother's education with oral health behaviors. A multivariate hierarchical regression analysis was conducted with the barrier entered at step one, knowledge at step two, and cues to action at step three. Finally, the three variables accounted for 17% of the total variance in the oral and dental health behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study provided evidence for the utility of the belief-based model in the prediction of oral health behaviors. It could be suggested that oral health behavior can be promoted by reducing the perceived barriers and enhancing the students' knowledge of oral and dental hygiene.

Prevalence and correlates of perceived teeth health status and oral health behavior among school-going adolescents in Cambodia

The purpose of the study was to investigate perceived teeth health status and oral health behavior, as well as their correlates, among adolescents in Cambodia. The analysis included 3806 Cambodian school children (mean age 15.7 years, SD=1.8 years) who took part in the "Global School-based Student Health Survey" (GSHS) in 2013. Overall, 7.8% of the students reported poor perceived teeth status, 18.0% had missed school in the past year because of a toothache, 26.7% engaged in combined oral health behavior (brushing teeth twice daily or more often = 79.8%, using fluoride toothpaste = 59.9%, and drinking soft drinks less than once a day = 53.6%), and 59.9% had never visited a dentist for a routine examination or other dental work. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age, being female, missing school because of a toothache, having a toothache in the past 12 months, poor oral health behavior and sedentary leisure time were associated with poor perceived teeth status. Older age, good perceived teeth status, having had a dental check-up, washing hands before eating and after toilet use, and not eating fast food were associated with a positive oral health behavior (brushing teeth twice daily or more often, using fluoride toothpaste, and drinking soft drinks less than once a day). Significant proportions of poor perceived teeth status and poor oral health behavior were found among school children in Cambodia. Various risk factors (sociodemographic, dental variables, general health risk behaviors) for perceived poor teeth status, oral health behavior and never having had a dental check-up were identified, which can be utilized for intervention programs.

A survey on oral hygiene methods practiced by patients attending Dentistry Department at a Tertiary Care Hospital from Central Gujarat

Objective:

Oral hygiene is important not only for maintaining health of teeth and gingivae in an individual but also for good and uneventful regeneration and healing of tissues, when one has undergone one or other dental treatments. This makes it important to have an understanding of oral hygiene practices employed by the population.

Materials and Methodology:

This descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based survey was carried out to know oral hygiene methods practiced by patients who visited Department of Dentistry at a Tertiary Care Hospital attached to medical college from Central Gujarat. While examining and recording their history, their mode of oral hygiene practice was also noted. Recorded data were entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed in SPSS Statistics Version 17.0. The study reports proportions of the variables under study in percentages.

Results:

The patients ranged from 4 to 80 years in age with equal numbers from both genders. The number of participants using modern and scientific material and instrument for oral hygiene was good. However, majority of them performed it only once a day, and none after every meal or at bed time.

Conclusion:

There is a need to improve the frequency of oral hygiene procedure among the studied population as well as use of dental floss needs to be increased.

A survey about awareness of periodontal health among the students of professional colleges in Dakshina Kannada District

Introduction:

Oral health is an important factor in maintaining sound psychological and physical health. Association between knowledge and better oral health has been well documented.

Aim:

To assess the oral health awareness and knowledge about periodontal diseases among the students of medical, Ayurveda, and Engineering Colleges.

Materials and Methods:

A survey was conducted among the students of medical, Ayurveda, and engineering colleges. Three hundred students were selected using a simple random sampling method and a self-constructed 15 items questionnaire was distributed to all subjects. Chi-square test was applied to individual questions and Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare overall oral health awareness and knowledge about periodontal diseases among the students.

Results:

A substantial lack of oral hygiene understanding and limited knowledge of oral hygiene practices even in health professionals and engineering students.

Conclusions:

Hence, there is an urgent need for comprehensive educational programs to promote good oral health and impart education about the correct oral hygiene practices at an elementary level.

School performance and oral health conditions: analysis of the impact mediated by socio-economic factors

BACKGROUND

Oral problems can cause strong impact on functional, emotional, and social aspects of children and adolescents, as well as changes in school performance.

AIM

To evaluate the associations of subjective perceptions of parents, socio-economic factors, and oral clinical conditions of children with their school performance.

DESIGN

A case-control design was used with a sample of 1411 schoolchildren aged 8-10 years from city of Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Clinical conditions were evaluated using the DMFT and dmft indexes. Socio-economic data were obtained using a questionnaire sent to schoolchildren's parents. School performance was evaluated by the final scores of each schoolchild at the end of the 2011 school year.

RESULTS

According to the final logistic regression model, the schoolchildren who had carious lesions and underwent curative dental treatment at the beginning of the academic year presented 1.51 more chance of having low performance compared with schoolchildren who had no caries lesions. In addition, socio-economic and demographic variables were associated with a greater chance of poor school performance.

CONCLUSION

Socio-economic factors and presence of caries lesions, even if treated, were risk indicators for poor school performance.

A cross-sectional survey to assess the effect of socioeconomic status on the oral hygiene habits

Background:

It is widely accepted that there are socioeconomic inequalities in oral health. A socioeconomic gradient is found in a range of clinical and self-reported oral health outcomes.

Aim:

The present study was conducted to assess the differences in oral hygiene practices among patients from different socioeconomic status (SES) visiting the Outpatient Department of the Sudha Rustagi College of Dental Sciences.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was conducted from June to October 2014 to assess the effect of SES on the oral hygiene habits. The questionnaire included the questions related to the demographic profile and assessment of the oral hygiene habits of the study population.

Results:

Toothbrush and toothpaste were being used significantly (P < 0.05) more by lower middle class (84.4%) and upper middle class (100.0%). A significantly higher frequency of cleaning teeth (twice a day) was reported among the lower middle class (17.2%) and upper middle class (21.5%). The majority (34.3%) of the study population changed their toothbrush once in 3 months. The cleaning of tongue was reported by patients belonging to the upper middle (62.0%), lower middle (52.1%), and upper lower class (30.0%). The use of tongue cleaner was reported to be significantly (P < 0.05) more among upper middle (10.1%) class patients. A significantly higher number of patients from the lower class (81.3%) never visited a dentist.

Conclusion:

The oral hygiene practices of the patients from upper and lower middle class was found to be satisfactory whereas it was poor among patients belonging to lower and upper lower class.

Influence of Media in the Choice of Oral Hygiene Products Used Among the Population of Maduravoyal, Chennai, India

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

To assess the factors influencing the awareness and practice of oral hygiene among the local population Maduravoyal, Chennai, India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional questionnaire based study was conducted to understand the factors influencing the choice and practice of oral hygiene products among the population of Maduravoyal, Chennai, India. Data was collected by means of a self administered structured questionnaire written in English and validated through a pilot survey. One thousand two hundred and nine subjects, with an age range of 15 to 70 years, who visited the Department of Periodontology, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College, Chennai were selected for investigation. The data obtained was analyzed using the SPSS version 13.0. The frequency of distribution and percentages were calculated.

RESULTS

The results of the study showed that tooth brush (98.5%) and toothpaste (98%) were the main products used for the maintenance of oral hygiene and around 84.6% of the population brushed once daily. Information from the media (59.4%) and decay prevention (49.7%) were the major factors that influenced the choice of toothpaste among the study population.

CONCLUSION

The major factor which influenced the choice of oral hygiene products was based on information obtained from advertisements and other sources. There is a need for the dental professionals to be aware of the ever-increasing development and marketing of oral hygiene products from various databases. Hence, the education of people regarding the importance of oral hygiene maintenance, proper selection of oral hygiene products is essential.

The use of a self-report questionnaire for dental health status assessment: a preliminary study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this work was to evaluate and validate a new questionnaire for caries assessment of large populations as well as to correlate the results from the questionnaire with the caries lesions detected in clinical and radiographic evaluation.

METHODS

The study population included 460 young adults who arrived to a dental screening provided to all army recruits. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed to all participants as part of the routine dental screening; two bite-wing radiographs were taken as well. The World Health Organization (WHO) caries diagnostic criterion for decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) was also calculated. First, a questionnaire that included 20 questions regarding different caries risk factors such as socioeconomic status, dietary habits, smoking habits, dental treatment experience etc was filled by all participants. At the next stage, according to the statistical analysis finding, a new questionnaire based on the most predictive questions and answers for DMFT forecast was developed.

RESULTS

The mean total DMFT was 3.71 ± 4.2. DMFT value of 0 (caries free) was found in 28.8% of the participants while no caries lesion (D = 0) was detected in 52.9%. The new questionnaire developed consisted of the most predictive ten questions. When evaluating the ROC curves for the new questionnaire score in prediction of dental caries lesions, the area under the curve was found to be 85.7% (95% confidence interval was between 81.2% and 90.2%). The total value of 5.5 points in the new questionnaire was chosen as a cut-off for caries risk assessment and revealed sensitivity of 85.1% and false positive of 29%.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of a simple and easy questionnaire might serve as a good screening tool for large populations such as army recruits in order to identify the group of high risk populations that require more intensive intervention.

Toothache and social and economic conditions among adolescents in Northeastern Brazil

The scope of this study was to correlate toothache with social and economic conditions, access to oral health facilities and the lifestyle of adolescents in Sobral in the state of Ceará. It was conducted as a cross-sectional analytical study with a sample composed of 688 adolescents. The prevalence of toothache in the study group was 31.8%. A chi-square test of association was performed to measure the relationship between independent variables and toothache, estimating the prevalence ratio by Poisson regression. The factors that demonstrated the closest relationship with toothache were cavity severity, the reason for dental treatment being related to urgency, frequency of dental appointments and the distribution of toothbrushes at school. It was observed that the high prevalence of dental pain in adolescents is directly linked to the access conditions, as well as the characteristics of the actions developed by the health services. Just as there is a need for the deployment of services related to health promotion, based on equity and integration, it is necessary to introduce emergency services to intervene not just to curtail crippling pain, but also as a mechanism to stimulate the development of procedures for the prevention of oral diseases.

Dental caries prevalence, oral health knowledge and practice among indigenous Chepang school children of Nepal

BACKGROUND

Chepang communities are one of the most deprived ethnic communities in Nepal. According to the National Pathfinder Survey, dental caries is a highly prevalent childhood disease in Nepal. There is no data concerning the prevalence of caries along with knowledge, attitude and oral hygiene practices among Chepang schoolchildren. The objectives of this study were to 1) record the prevalence of dental caries 2) report experience of dental pain 3) evaluate knowledge, attitude and preventive practices on oral health of primary Chepang schoolchildren.

METHOD

A cross sectional epidemiological study was conducted in 5 government Primary schools of remote Chandibhanjyang Village Development Committee (VDC) in Chitwan district. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Board within the Research Department of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Tribhuvan University. Consent was obtained from parents for conducting clinical examination and administrating questionnaire. Permission was taken from the school principal in all schools. Data was collected using a pretested questionnaire on 131 schoolchildren aged 8-16-year- olds attending Grade 3-5. Clinical examination was conducted on 361 school children aged 5-16 -year-olds attending grade 1-5. Criteria set by the World Health Organization (1997) was used for caries diagnosis. The questionnaires, originally constructed in English and translated into Nepali were administered to the schoolchildren by the researchers. SPSS 11software was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

Caries prevalence for 5-6 -year-old was above the goals recommended by WHO and Federation of Dentistry international (FDI) of less than 50% caries free children. Caries prevalence in 5-6-year-olds was 52% and 12-13-year-olds was 41%. The mean dmft/DMFT score of 5-6 -year-olds and 12 -13-year -olds was 1.59, 0.31 and 0.52, 0.84 respectively. The DMFT scores increased with age and the d/D component constituted almost the entire dmft/DMFT index. About 31% of 8-16-year-olds school children who participated in the survey reported having suffered from oral pain. Further, the need for treatment of decayed teeth was reported at 100%. About 76% children perceived teeth as an important component of general health and 75% reported it was required to eat. A total 93% children never visited a dentist or a health care service. Out of 56% children reporting cleaning their teeth daily, only 24% reported brushing their teeth twice daily. About 86% of the children reported using toothbrush and toothpaste to clean their teeth. Although 61% children reported to have received oral health education, 82% children did not know about fluoride and its benefit on dental health. About 50% children reported bacteria as the main cause of tooth decay and 23% as not brushing teeth for gingivitis. Frequency of sugar exposure was low; 75% of children reported eating sugar rich food once daily.

CONCLUSIONS

Caries prevalence of 5-6 -year- old Chepang school children is above the recommended target set by FDI/WHO. The study reported 31% schoolchildren aged 8-16-year old suffered oral pain and decayed component constituted almost the entire dmft/DMFT index. The brushing habit was reportedly low with only 24% of the children brushing twice daily. A nationwide scientifically proven, cost effective school based interventions is needed for prevention and control of caries in schoolchildren in Nepal.

Oral hygiene-awareness and practice among patients attending OPD at Vyas Dental College and Hospital, Jodhpur

Background:

According to World Oral Health report 2003, the prevalence of periodontitis is 86% in India. Dental care can sometimes be a forgotten part of a healthy life style. While its importance is often underestimated, the need for regular dental care cannot be overstated. Oral health has been neglected for long in India. The scarce literature on dental health awareness, attitude, oral health-related habits and behavior among the adult population in Rajasthan prompted us to assess the preventive oral health awareness and oral hygiene practices in patients attending outpatient department of Vyas Dental College and Hospital (VDCH), Jodhpur through this study.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 500 patients in the age group 15–50 years were selected using random sampling technique. A self-administered structured questionnaire including 16 multiple choice questions was given to them. The results were analyzed using percentage.

Results:

The result of this study shows an acute lack of oral hygiene awareness and limited knowledge of oral hygiene practices. In Jodhpur, few people use tooth brush.

Conclusions:

Hence, there is an urgent need for comprehensive educational programs to promote good oral health and impart education about correct oral hygiene practices.

Common Perceptions of Periodontal Health and Illness among Adults: A Qualitative Study

Objective. Our aim was to explore perceptions of periodontal health and illness and to examine attitudes and beliefs regarding prevention of gum diseases among Iranian adults. Methods. Our qualitative approach included focus-group discussions among adults aged 18 and above based on convenient and purposive sampling in Tehran. Transcripts of the four focus-group discussions were analyzed by two independent reviewers using a content analysis method. Results. Two major themes in the analyses emerged: the common perception of periodontal health and illness and the attitude towards prevention. The study demonstrated the subjects' good understanding of prevention of periodontal disease, but their lack of knowledge of the aetiology of the diseases, and an inability to differentiate aetiology, symptoms, and prevention of dental caries and periodontal disease. Conclusion. This study revealed a need for oral health education among Iranian adults to improve their knowledge and change their attitudes to achieve deeper understanding of the aetiology and prevention of periodontal disease. Health promotion programs should address misconceptions about prevention of gum disease.

Impact of poor oral health on children's school attendance and performance

OBJECTIVES

We examined school days missed for routine dental care versus dental pain or infection to determine the relationship between children's oral health status and school attendance and performance.

METHODS

We used 2008 data from the North Carolina Child Health Assessment and Monitoring Program. The study sample, weighted to reflect the state's population, included 2183 schoolchildren. Variables assessed included school absences and performance, oral health status, parental education, health insurance coverage, race, and gender.

RESULTS

Children with poor oral health status were nearly 3 times more likely (odds ratio = 3.89; 95% confidence interval = 1.96, 7.75) than were their counterparts to miss school as a result of dental pain. Absences caused by pain were associated with poorer school performance (P < .05), but absences for routine care were not. Mediation analyses revealed that oral health status was associated with performance independent of absence for pain.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with poorer oral health status were more likely to experience dental pain, miss school, and perform poorly in school. These findings suggest that improving children's oral health status may be a vehicle to enhancing their educational experience.

Dental health behaviours among early adolescents in Hong Kong

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and socioeconomic differences in dental health behaviours among Hong Kong early adolescents.

METHODS

 A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4927 students (44.7% boys) aged 14-15 from 36 secondary schools in 2000-2001. Students reported their socioeconomic information and dental health behaviours using the Health Related Behaviour General Questionnaire (HRBGQ). Logistic regression models were used to determine the adjusted odds ratios of regular tooth brushing (at least twice daily), weekly use of dental floss (in the past 7days) and annual dental visit (in the past 12months) for different socioeconomic characteristics.

RESULTS

Of the subjects, 77.8% reported to have brushed regularly, but only 22.3% used dental floss weekly and 37.9% had annual dental visit. Male gender and Chinese ethnicity were significantly associated with lower odds of regular brushing, use of dental floss and annual dental visit. Two or more siblings and not living with both parents were also significantly associated with lower odds of regular brushing and annual dental visit. Furthermore, students living in non-private housing were significantly less likely to have annual dental visit than those in private housing.

CONCLUSIONS

Regular brushing was common, but not use of dental floss and annual dental visits among Hong Kong early adolescents. In general, socioeconomic disparity in dental health behaviours was observed. Extending the existing government-run dental health programmes to secondary school students in Hong Kong is warranted.

Socio-behavioural factors influencing oral health of 12 and 15 year old Greek adolescents. A national pathfinder survey

AIM

To estimate the frequency in use of oral health services, oral health self-assessment, oral hygiene practices of 12- and 15-year-old Greek children and adolescents, to investigate possible influences of these factors and other socio-demographic parameters on oral health.

METHODS

A stratified cluster sample of 1224 12 year old and 1257 15 year old children and adolescents of Greek nationality were selected and examined by calibrated examiners. Clinical examination included recording of caries according to the British association for the study of community dentistry diagnostic criteria, while oral hygiene and periodontal status were assessed by means of the simplified debris and the community periodontal index. Subjects were interviewed to answer questions on socio-behavioural risk factors through a structured questionnaire. The student's t-test and ANOVA were used for statistical evaluation of the means and the chi-square test was applied for statistical comparison of the proportions. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess the statistical association between variables.

RESULTS

Caries experience and untreated caries were significantly higher among children and adolescents who visited the dentist only when in pain or for restoring a tooth, compared to those visiting for check-ups or prevention and having more frequent application of topical fluorides. Tooth brushing, at least twice a day, and flossing were significantly associated with periodontal and oral hygiene status, but not with caries presence. The multivariate analysis revealed that parental educational status and reason for visiting a dentist were strong determinants for caries experience and oral hygiene status but not for periodontal health of children and adolescents.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has identified several socio-demographic and behavioural determinants for dental caries, oral hygiene and periodontal health of Greek children and adolescents.

Relationship between subjective assessment of oral health and medical expenses in community-dwelling elderly persons

Objectives

The increasing medical expenses of elderly persons in Japan’s rapidly ageing society have become a major concern. It is therefore important to elucidate the factors associated with such escalation. Here, we focused on the relationship between subjective self-assessment of oral health, as an index of general health, and medical expenses (excluding dental repair) under the hypothesis that oral health contributes to general medical expenses. Several studies have shown that oral health status is correlated with general health status among elderly persons. We speculated that oral health status might show a relation with medical costs among elderly persons. However, few studies have investigated this relationship to date.

Materials and Methods

Participants were 259 elderly subjects (range: 65–84 years; 120 men, 139 women) residing independently. Subjective assessment of oral health was evaluated by their responses (‘Good’, ‘Not good’ and ‘Not at all good’) on a survey questionnaire. The correlation between subjective assessment of oral health and medical expenditure was analysed using Spearman’s rank method, the Mann–Whitney U-test and the Kruskal–Wallis test. Medical expenses were used as the dependent variable in multinomial logistic regression analysis with background and intraoral factors as independent variables.

Results

A slight yet statistically significant correlation was observed between subjective assessment of oral health and outpatient treatment fees.

Conclusion

The findings revealed that subjective assessment of oral health is significantly and independently related to the medical expenses of community-dwelling elderly persons after adjusting for social background, living environment and physical factors.

A comparative study of oral health knowledge, attitude and behaviour of non-medical, para-medical and medical students in Udaipur city, Rajasthan, India

AIM

The aim of the study was to assess and compare the Oral health knowledge, attitude and behaviour of the non-medical, para-medical and medical students.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In a cross-sectional study, a total of 825 students (males - 577, females - 248) of six different professions belonging to non-medical, para-medical and medical categories were surveyed using a self-administered, structured questionnaire pretested through a pilot survey. The mean percentage scores, standard deviation and frequency distribution were calculated. The Student's t-test, anova test, Scheffe's test and chi-squared test were used as test of significance. The linear regression analysis was used to assess the relation of behaviour with knowledge and attitude.

RESULTS

The knowledge scores were significantly higher for the medical students compared with those of non-medical students. The attitude scores were significantly lower for the non-medical category compared with the other two categories and the scores were the highest among the para-medical students. The behaviour scores were significantly lower for the non-medical students than for the para-medical and the medical categories. All the scores were significantly higher for females than for the males. Regression analysis showed a linear relationship of behaviour with the attitude, but no significant linear relation with the knowledge.

CONCLUSION

All the students showed low level of knowledge and the preventive behaviour among the students could still be improved. The results indicate that the knowledge was not enough to influence the oral health behaviour, but behaviour showed linear relationship with attitude of the students.

Clustering of oral and general health risk behaviors in Korean adolescents: a national representative sample

PURPOSES

To investigate the distribution of modifiable oral and general health risk behaviors according to socioeconomic status and to examine the extent of clustering of risk behaviors among Korean adolescents.

METHODS

Self-reported data from 71,404 adolescents were obtained using a stratified cluster sample of students in the 7th to 12th grades who participated in the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the influence of family affluence on health behaviors and the strength of associations of general health behaviors in models for oral health behaviors.

RESULTS

Adolescents of high family affluence level were more likely to frequently brush their teeth, receive preventive dental care, eat breakfast, exercise regularly and become drunk, and were less likely to frequently smoke compared with those from less affluent families. Those who brush their teeth frequently were 19% less likely to smoke, 1.26 times more likely to eat breakfast, and 1.15 times more likely to do exercise. Those who received preventive dental care during the past year were 1.1 times more likely to smoke frequently and 1.38 times more likely to experience drunkenness once or more during the past year.

CONCLUSIONS

The co-occurrence of oral and general health risk behaviors among Korean adolescents and relatedness to the underlying socioeconomic environment suggest that clustering of health behaviors occurs before adulthood. Integrated efforts toward oral and general health promotion in the socioeconomic construct of the family environment may be needed to effect change in health risk behaviors among adolescents.

Perceived oral health status and treatment needs of dental auxiliaries

Objective

To determine the perceived oral health status and treatment needs of Nigerian dental therapists in training and dental technology students.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study of students from Federal School of Dental Therapy and Technology Enugu, Nigeria was conducted using self-administered questionnaire to obtain information on demography, self-reported oral health status, knowledge of impact of oral health on daily life activity, dental attendance and perceived dental need.

Results

The perception of oral health status and treatment need of the two groups of dental auxiliaries was the same. Fewer respondents (27.3%) rated their oral health as excellent, while 50.4% rated their oral health as good. Majority (95.5%) agreed that oral health is a part of general health and 94.6% agreed that oral health has a role in daily life.

Out of 81.4% that had previous dental treatment, scaling and polishing accounted for 66.1%. Presently, 48.8% think they need dental treatment ranging from scaling and polishing (33.9%), tooth restoration (10.3%), to extraction (1.2%).

Conclusion

This survey revealed that most of the students are aware that oral health is a component of general health and that it has an impact on an individual's daily life. More than half of the students perceived their oral health as good, but only a few knew that there is a need for a preventive approach to oral health as evident by the percentage that perceived scaling and polishing as a treatment need.

Comparison of periodontal health status and oral health behavior between Japanese and Chinese dental students

A survey was carried out to compare periodontal health status and oral health behavior between Japanese and Chinese dental students. Subjects consisted of 118 students at Nihon University School of Dentistry and 92 students at the school of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University. Saliva occult blood test was performed to classify whether subjects may have periodontal disease. Further questionnaires were given to evaluate different lifestyles and oral hygiene habit. The positive rate of the saliva occult blood test in Japanese dental students was 13.6%, and that of Chinese dental students was 43.5%. Bleeding from gingiva as a subjective symptom was as follows: Japansese 7.6%, Chinese 37.0%. Japanese dental students brushed for 13.5 min each day. The rate for Chinese students was 4.6 min. Use of interdental devices was as follows: Japanese 33.1%, Chinese 7.6%. Differences of periodontal disease rates between Japanese and Chinese dental students are thought to be differences in oral hygiene, indicating the need for improvements in hygiene measures in Nanjing City. The establishment and strengthening of oral hygiene education, including the importance of tooth brushing for prevention of periodontal disease, has been proposed.

Social and dental status along the life course and oral health impacts in adolescents: a population-based birth cohort

Background

Harmful social conditions in early life might predispose individuals to dental status which in turn may impact on adolescents' quality of life.

Aims

To estimate the prevalence of oral health impacts among 12 yr-old Brazilian adolescents (n = 359) and its association with life course socioeconomic variables, dental status and dental services utilization in a population-based birth cohort in Southern Brazil.

Methods

Exploratory variables were collected at birth, at 6 and 12 yr of age. The Oral Impacts on Daily Performances index (OIDP) was collected in adolescence and it was analyzed as a ranked outcome (OIDP from 0 to 9). Unadjusted and adjusted multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance was performed guided by a theoretical determination model.

Results

The response rate was of 94.4% (n = 339). The prevalence of OIDP = 1 was 30.1% (CI95%25.2;35.0) and OIDP ≥ 2 was 28.0% (CI95%23.2;32.8). The most common daily activity affected was eating (44.8%), follow by cleaning the mouth and smiling (15.6%, and 15.0%, respectively). In the final model mother schooling and mother employment status in early cohort participant's life were associated with OIDP in adolescence. As higher untreated dental caries at age 6 and 12 years, and the presence of dental pain, gingival bleeding and incisal crowing in adolescence as higher the OIDP score. On the other hand, dental fluorosis was associated with low OIDP score.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight the importance of adolescent's early life social environmental as mother schooling and mother employment status and the early and later dental status on the adolescent's quality of life regardless family income and use of dental services.

Oral health and the impact of socio-behavioural factors in a cross sectional survey of 12-year old school children in Laos

Background

In recent decades low-income countries experienced an increasing trend in dental caries among children, particularly recorded in 12-year olds, which is the principal WHO indicator age group for children. This increases the risks of negative affects on children's life. Some data exist on the oral health status of children in low-income countries of Southeast Asia. However, information on how oral health is associated with socio-behavioural factors is almost not available. The aims of this study were to: assess the level of oral health of Lao 12-year-olds in urban and semi-urban settings; study the impact of poor oral health on quality of life; analyse the association between oral health and socio-behavioural factors; investigate the relation between obesity and oral health.

Methods

A cross sectional study of 12-year old schoolchildren chosen by multistage random sampling in Vientiane, Lao P.D.R (hereafter Laos). The final study population comprised 621 children. The study consisted of: clinical registration of caries and periodontal status, and scores for dental trauma according to WHO; structured questionnaire; measurement of anthropometric data. Frequency distributions for bi-variate analysis and logistic regression for multivariate analysis were used for assessment of statistical association between variables.

Results

Mean DMFT was 1.8 (SEM = 0.09) while caries prevalence was 56% (CI95 = 52-60). Prevalence of gingival bleeding was 99% (CI95 = 98-100) with 47% (CI95 = 45-49) of present teeth affected. Trauma was observed in 7% (CI95 = 5-9) of the children. High decay was seen in children with dental visits and frequent consumption of sweet drinks. Missed school classes, tooth ache and several impairments of daily life activities were associated with a high dD-component. No associations were found between Body Mass Index (BMI) and oral health or common risk factors. The multivariate analyses revealed high risk for caries for children with low or moderate attitude towards health, a history of dental visits and a preference for drinking sugary drinks during school hours. Low risk was found for children with good or average perception of own oral health. High risk for gingival bleeding was seen in semi-urban children and boys.

Conclusion

Although the caries level is low it causes considerable negative impact on daily life. School based health promotion should be implemented focussing on skills based learning and attitudes towards health.

Dental pain, oral impacts and perceived need for dental treatment in Tanzanian school students: a cross-sectional study

Background

Dental caries, dental pain and reported oral problems influence people's oral quality of life and thus their perceived need for dental care. So far there is scant information as to the psychosocial impacts of dental diseases and the perceived treatment need in child populations of sub-Saharan Africa.

Objectives

Focusing on primary school students in Kilwa, Tanzania, a district deprived of dental services and with low fluoride concentration in drinking water, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of dental pain and oral impacts on daily performances (OIDP), and to describe the distribution of OIDP by socio-demographics, dental caries, dental pain and reported oral problems. The relationship of perceived need estimates with OIDP was also investigated.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2008. A total of 1745 students (mean age 13.8 yr, sd = 1.67) completed an extensive personal interview and under-went clinical examination. The impacts on daily performances were assessed using a Kiswahili version of the Child-OIDP instrument and caries experience was recorded using WHO (1997) criteria.

Results

A total of 36.2% (41.3% urban and 31.4% rural, p < 0.001) reported at least one OIDP. The prevalence of dental caries was 17.4%, dental pain 36.4%, oral problems 54.1% and perceived need for dental treatment 46.8% in urban students. Corresponding estimates in rural students were 20.8%, 24.4%, 43.3% and 43.8%. Adjusted OR for reporting oral impacts if having dental pain ranged from 2.5 (95% CI 1.8–3.6) (problem smiling) to 4.7 (95% CI 3.4–6.5) (problem sleeping),- if having oral problems, from 1.9 (95% CI 1.3–2.6) (problem sleeping) to 3.8 (95% CI 2.7–5.2) (problem eating) and if having dental caries from 1.5 (95% CI 1.1–2.0) (problem eating) to 2.2 (95% CI 1.5–2.9) (problem sleeping). Students who perceived need for dental care were less likely to be females (OR = 0.8, 95% CI 0.6–0.9) and more likely to have impacts on eating (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.4–2.7) and tooth cleaning (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.6–2.5).

Conclusion

Substantial proportions of students suffered from untreated dental caries, oral impacts on daily performances and perceived need for dental care. Dental pain and reported oral problems varied systematically with OIDP across the eight impacts considered. Eating and tooth cleaning problems discriminated between subjects who perceived need for dental treatment and those who did not.

Factors influencing perception of oral health among adolescents in Sri Lanka

AIM

To determine factors associated with perceived oral health status among adolescents in Sri Lanka.

DESIGN

A descriptive, cross-sectional study where the data were collected by means of an oral examination and questionnaires to both children and their parents.

SETTING

Schools in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka.

PARTICIPANTS

1,218, 15-year-old adolescents who were selected from 48 schools using a stratified cluster sampling techniques.

RESULTS

Nearly 21% of the sample rated their oral health as poor. According to the hierarchical logistic regression models the percentage of variance in perceived oral health explained by the four groups of independent variables namely: socio-demographic variables, oral health behaviours, clinical oral health indicators and subjective measures of oral health status were 3, 1, 4 and 7% respectively. The final model indicated that poor perceived oral health was significantly associated with low household income, not using dental services, presence of gingivitis, being aware about the presence of oral disease, presence of toothache and other oral symptoms and perceived need for dental care. It accounted for 15% of the variation in perceived oral health.

CONCLUSIONS

Subjective measures of oral health contributed most to the single-item perceived oral health rating of adolescents. Socio-demographic variables and normative measures of untreated caries, missing teeth and gingivitis had a limited role in explaining perceived oral health in Sri Lankan adolescents.

Dental pain and care-seeking in 11-14-yr-old adolescents in a low-income country

The purpose of this article was to document the 1-month dental pain prevalence in 11-14-yr-old subjects attending Grade Six of middle schools in Peshawar, Pakistan, and to explore the effect of dental pain and the impact on daily living on dental care-seeking. A self-completed questionnaire survey of all 13 middle schools in University Town, Peshawar, Pakistan, was carried out in April 2007. Questionnaire items on dental pain were adapted from the dental pain screening questionnaire (DePaQ) and items on the impact on daily living were adapted from the child-oral impact on daily performance (OIDP-Child) questionnaire. Regression analysis was carried out to determine the relative usefulness of predictors for care-seeking. The prevalence of dental pain was estimated to be 30.4%, and care-seeking in those reporting pain was estimated to be 64%. Care-seeking was associated with 'pain felt in one tooth', 'painful tooth felt loose', 'difficulties sleeping', and 'difficulties playing', which accounted for 35% of the explained variance. The findings substantiate dental pain as an important dental public health concern in Pakistan and support the hypothesis that assessment of dental pain characteristics can add to the accuracy of dental need estimation.

[Use of dental services by preschool children in Canela, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil]

The aim of this study was to assess the use of dental services and age at first dental visit in preschool children in Canela, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. A representative sample of under-five children was surveyed on National Children's Vaccination Day. Children's parents completed questionnaires containing socio-demographic data and age at first dental visit. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. 192 children were examined. 13.3% of the sample had already visited the dentist at least once, but only 4.3% had their first dental visit by one year of age. The number of children who had already visited a dentist increased with age. Girls showed higher odds of having visited a dentist (OR = 1.46; 95%CI: 1.01-2.1). Public health strategies are needed to determine the effectiveness of health promotion and improve the use of dental services by preschool children.

Oral health-related cultural beliefs for four racial/ethnic groups: Assessment of the literature

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to assess information available in the dental literature on oral health-related cultural beliefs. In the US, as elsewhere, many racial/ethnic minority groups shoulder a disproportionate burden of oral disease. Cultural beliefs, values and practices are often implicated as causes of oral health disparities, yet little is known about the breadth or adequacy of literature about cultural issues that could support these assertions. Hence, this rigorous assessment was conducted of work published in English on cultural beliefs and values in relation to oral health status and dental practice. Four racial/ethnic groups in the US (African-American, Chinese, Filipino and Hispanic/Latino) were chosen as exemplar populations.

METHODS

The dental literature published in English for the period 1980-2006 noted in the electronic database PUBMED was searched, using keywords and MeSH headings in different combinations for each racial/ethnic group to identify eligible articles. To be eligible the title and abstract when available had to describe the oral health-related cultural knowledge or orientation of the populations studied.

RESULTS

Overall, the majority of the literature on racial/ethnic groups was epidemiologic in nature, mainly demonstrating disparities in oral health rather than the oral beliefs or practices of these groups. A total of 60 relevant articles were found: 16 for African-American, 30 for Chinese, 2 for Filipino and 12 for Hispanic/Latino populations. Data on beliefs and practices from these studies has been abstracted, compiled and assessed. Few research-based studies were located. Articles lacked adequate identification of groups studied, used limited methods and had poor conceptual base.

CONCLUSION

The scant information available from the published dental and medical literature provides at best a rudimentary framework of oral health related ideas and beliefs for specific populations.

Impact of the curriculum on Chinese dental students' tobacco control attitudes and beliefs: a case study in Harbin, China

Smoking is a major public health problem in China. Dentists can participate in tobacco control activity.

AIM

To report the curriculum impact on dental students' tobacco control attitudes and beliefs in Harbin Dental School, Harbin, China.

METHODS

A descriptive cross sectional study using the Global Health Professionals Survey self-complete questionnaire, assessing respondents': tobacco use prevalence, second-hand smoke exposure, knowledge and attitudes regarding tobacco control, smoking and cessation, and the content of the dental school's curriculum and training on tobacco effects and patient counselling. Third, 4th and 5th year undergraduates and postgraduate students participated in December 2005.

RESULTS

The response rate was 96%. Current smoking prevalence was 4% whilst 74% reported exposure to second hand smoke in the previous week. There was variable recall of aspects of teaching, 12% reporting receiving formal smoking cessation training. Respondents were extremely positive in their professional behaviour beliefs but less about population based tobacco control. There was no relationship between curriculum recall and positive beliefs and attitudes about tobacco control.

CONCLUSIONS

In this sample of Chinese dental students a low current smoking prevalence and high levels of exposure to second hand smoke were reported. Varying levels of recall of tobacco control aspects of the dental curriculum existed. Positive tobacco control attitudes and beliefs were reported, but this did not necessarily correlate with aspects of the curriculum content.

Hábitos de higiene bucal e utilização de serviços odontológicos em escolares de uma cidade da Região Sul do Brasil

Estudo transversal investigando associação entre hábitos de higiene bucal e utilização dos serviços odontológicos, fatores sócio-demográficos e relacionados ao estilo de vida em amostra representativa de 1.170 escolares de 7ª série do ensino municipal de Gravataí, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. A associação entre os desfechos e sexo; cor da pele; inserção sócio-econômica; estilo de vida sedentário; uso de álcool e tabaco; e consumo de balas, refrigerantes e chocolates foi investigada com regressão de Cox univariada. Entre os jovens estudados, 77,8% escovavam os dentes > 3 vezes/dia, 31,9% utilizavam fio dental, 68,9% visitavam o dentista anualmente e 50% consultaram por motivo curativo. As meninas apresentaram maior freqüência de escovação do que os meninos. Os jovens com baixa inserção sócio-econômica, os com estilo de vida sedentário e os que experimentaram tabaco apresentaram menor uso diário de fio dental e consultas odontológicas anuais, e mais consultas curativas. O consumo de balas associou-se à menor utilização de serviços odontológicos e o de refrigerantes à maior freqüência de consultas curativas. O estilo de vida saudável associou-se com melhores hábitos de higiene bucal e utilização de serviços odontológicos.

Oral and general health behaviours among Chinese urban adolescents

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to measure the association of general and oral health-related behaviours with living conditions and to explore the interrelationships between general and oral health-related behaviours in Chinese urban adolescents.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of 2662 adolescents was conducted in eight Chinese provincial capitals. The response rate was 92%. The study population was selected through multistage cluster sampling and comprised three age groups: 11, 13 and 15 years. Data on oral and general health, lifestyles as well as living conditions were collected by means of self-administered structured questionnaires. Several additive indices were constructed from answers to the questions on specific behaviour, and participants were categorized according to scores on each component of health-related behaviour for statistical analyses by frequency distributions, regression analyses and factor analyses.

RESULTS

Oral health-related behaviours among adolescents were associated with socioeconomic status of parents, school performance and peer relationships. The odds of a dental visit was 0.63 in adolescents of poorly educated parents and the corresponding figure for regular oral hygiene practices was 0.62. Odds of tobacco use was 3 for adolescents with poor performance in school while odds of consuming sugary foods/drinks was 1.3. Adolescents with high levels of preventive oral health practices also demonstrated general health-promoting behaviours. In factor analysis of general and oral health-related behaviours, three factors were isolated: (a) risk behaviours (loadings 0.48-0.66), (b) health-promoting behaviours (loadings 0.60-0.64) and (c) help-seeking behaviours (loadings 0.56-0.67).

CONCLUSION

The findings support a multidimensional model of health behaviour. Several approaches and multiple methods should be applied in oral health education in order to modify behaviours that affect oral health.

Gender differences in child-related and parent-related determinants of oral health-related lifestyle among 11- to 12-year-old Finnish schoolchildren

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to ascertain whether child-related and parent-related characteristics were associated differently with oral health-related lifestyle among boys and girls.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study population consisted of 5th and 6th graders and their parents in Pori, Finland. There were 1691 children ranging in age between 11 and 12 years. The data were gathered by questionnaires. For the analyses, we grouped children and parents within three lifestyle groups: favorable, moderate and poor. Differences in child-related and/or parent-related characteristics between boys and girls were analyzed with logistic regression analyses; those with a favorable lifestyle comprised the healthy lifestyle group, and those with a moderate or poor lifestyle the unhealthy lifestyle group.

RESULTS

Oral health-related lifestyle was healthy more often among girls than among boys. In both genders, those who considered toothbrushing important for pleasing authorities more often had a healthy lifestyle. Girls who considered toothbrushing important for health and appearance were more likely to have a healthy lifestyle than those who did not. The effect of parents' oral health-related lifestyle was slightly stronger among boys than among girls. Among girls, however, high occupational level of father was indicative of healthy lifestyle.

CONCLUSIONS

Among girls and boys, there are similarities and differences in factors related to oral health-related lifestyle. The parents' model is important for both, but the effect is stronger among boys than among girls. Among girls, attitudes on health and appearance are positively associated with a health-related lifestyle.

Changing use and knowledge of fluoride toothpaste by schoolchildren, parents and schoolteachers in Beijing, China

OBJECTIVE

To assess the oral hygiene practices, current use of and knowledge about fluoride toothpaste among schoolchildren, parents, and schoolteachers; to describe the attitudes of parents and schoolteachers in relation to improving schoolchildren's oral health.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

PARTICIPANTS

1,557 schoolchildren, 1,132 parents, and 352 schoolteachers were recruited by multistage stratified sampling procedure in a district of Beijing, China.

METHODS

Self-completed questionnaire.

RESULTS

The percentage of schoolchildren, parents, and schoolteachers who actually used fluoride toothpaste was 88%, 86%, and 87%, respectively, and 74-78% of the respondent groups brushed their teeth twice a day or more. 64% of schoolchildren, 73% of parents, and 74% of schoolteachers confirmed the caries preventive effect of fluoride toothpaste. Toothpaste recommended by oral health professional organisations was preferred by respondents - particularly by schoolchildren - when purchasing toothpaste (86%). 93% of parents and 56% of schoolteachers recognised their important role in promoting children's oral health; however, their lack of knowledge seemed to be a major obstacle in fulfilling this role.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of fluoride toothpaste in Beijing appears to have increased during the past decade. In addition to mass communication comprehensive school-based oral health programmes are needed to continuously promote the use of fluoride toothpaste among schoolchildren.

Oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and family characteristics among Finnish schoolchildren with and without active initial caries lesions

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of active initial caries lesions among 11 to 12-year-old schoolchildren is associated with parental and child-related factors and whether there are gender differences in these associations.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The data were gathered by questionnaires from children and their parents, who replied without knowing the other's answers. All the children were invited to participate in a screening for the presence or absence of active initial caries lesions. Factors associated with children's initial caries were studied with logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

The parents' self-assessed poor dental health, the parents' and the child's poor oral health-related behavior, and the child's response "I don't know" to the question concerning his/her parents' possible dental caries were associated with the presence of active initial caries lesions. The results of logistic regression analyses were different between girls and boys. Among the girls, many parent-related factors were associated with the presence of initial caries. Among the boys, most factors were related to the child; and of the parent-related factors, only parents' poor self-assessed dental health was associated with initial caries; the effect was modified by the father's occupational level.

CONCLUSIONS

Parental factors affect boys' and girls' dental health differently. Among boys, the effect of the fathers was seen as the father's occupational level; among girls, parental knowledge and behavior were important. When school interventions to promote health are planned, the important role of the parents should be emphasized.