Oral health status of Korean adults with implants according to their use of oral hygiene products: results from a nationwide population-based study (2013–2015)

Purpose@#Many home care treatments can be used to promote the health and longevity of dental implants; however, few studies are available to support the concept that selfperformed oral hygiene behaviors are an essential tool for improving and maintaining oral health. We investigated age-stratified associations between dental health behaviors related to tooth brushing (TB) and oral hygiene product use in Korean adults with implants. @*Methods@#A total of 1,911 subjects over 19 years of age who had 1 or more implants and who participated in the 2013 to 2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were reviewed. Periodontal status was assessed using Community Periodontal Index (CPI) scores, and periodontitis was defined as a CPI greater than or equal to 3. The complex sampling design of the survey was utilized to obtain the variance and individual weight of each analyzed factor. A high CPI was the outcome variable, and the main explanatory variables were oral hygiene behaviors, such as TB, dental floss (DF), interproximal brushing, and mouth rinsing. @*Results@#Almost all individuals with a lower CPI brushed their teeth twice or more per day, in contrast to those with a higher CPI, and were likely to use DF. The adjusted odds ratio of not using DF for a higher CPI was 1.83 (95% confidence interval, 1.35–2.49). @*Conclusions@#TB was implemented more than twice a day by patients with good oral health, and the combination of TB and DF significantly reduced the prevalence of a higher CPI. Selfperformed oral hygiene practices combining TB and DF were significantly related to a low prevalence of periodontitis in implant patients.

Oral health status of Korean adults with implants according to their use of oral hygiene products: results from a nationwide population-based study (2013–2015)

Purpose@#Many home care treatments can be used to promote the health and longevity of dental implants; however, few studies are available to support the concept that selfperformed oral hygiene behaviors are an essential tool for improving and maintaining oral health. We investigated age-stratified associations between dental health behaviors related to tooth brushing (TB) and oral hygiene product use in Korean adults with implants. @*Methods@#A total of 1,911 subjects over 19 years of age who had 1 or more implants and who participated in the 2013 to 2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were reviewed. Periodontal status was assessed using Community Periodontal Index (CPI) scores, and periodontitis was defined as a CPI greater than or equal to 3. The complex sampling design of the survey was utilized to obtain the variance and individual weight of each analyzed factor. A high CPI was the outcome variable, and the main explanatory variables were oral hygiene behaviors, such as TB, dental floss (DF), interproximal brushing, and mouth rinsing. @*Results@#Almost all individuals with a lower CPI brushed their teeth twice or more per day, in contrast to those with a higher CPI, and were likely to use DF. The adjusted odds ratio of not using DF for a higher CPI was 1.83 (95% confidence interval, 1.35–2.49). @*Conclusions@#TB was implemented more than twice a day by patients with good oral health, and the combination of TB and DF significantly reduced the prevalence of a higher CPI. Selfperformed oral hygiene practices combining TB and DF were significantly related to a low prevalence of periodontitis in implant patients.

Differences in Oral Health Status between Rural and Urban Populations of Korean Elders: A Population-Based Study from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VI (2013~2015) / 치위생과학회지

BACKGROUND: Edentulism is associated with socioeconomic status, rural residence, and chronic disease, but no studies have investigated edentulism and residence factors together. All information that drives a better understanding of the factors related to edentulism plays an important role in the planning and delivery of appropriate dental services for the elderly by national and oral health professionals. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of edentulism in adults aged over 60 years in Korea and to examine whether there are differences in dentate status between people living in urban and rural areas after controlling for sociodemographic and other related factors. METHODS: The data for this study were collected from 2013 to 2015 as part of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VI, those individuals aged over 60 years and who had complete datasets were included (5,071). The number of teeth and residence status were categorized into two groups: edentate and dentate (1 or more); urban and rural. Multiple multivariate logistic regression analyses were sequentially applied to assess the association between dentate status and residence status after adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Rural areas, lower household income, and lower education levels were associated with a higher edentate rate. The number of teeth was lower in rural areas than in urban areas. After adjusting for various factors, statistically significant associations were present for women, low household income, low education level, poor perceived health status, and alcohol consumption in participants. CONCLUSION: Elders living in rural areas had poorer oral health than elders living in urban areas. The government will need to provide effective systems for promoting oral health for elders living in rural areas.

Awareness of Dementia National Responsibility of Elders: Oral Health Items / 치위생과학회지

BACKGROUND: Dementia is a condition in which a person who has been living a normal life suffers from various cognitive impairments in memory, words, and judgment that considerably disrupt daily life. The oral care ability and subjective oral status of elderly individuals with dementia are lower than those of a healthy person. The oral health care of individuals admitted to nursing homes inevitably falls to nursing assistants and nursing care staff. This study aimed to investigate the need for oral health management items of and to provide basic direction for the future of the Dementia National Responsibility System. METHODS: Elders aged 65 years and over were selected from a comprehensive welfare center. A total of 155 questionnaires were analyzed. The questionnaire consisted of 15 items about general status, 9 items about recognition of the Dementia National Responsibility System, 5 items of the subjective recognition of oral health, and 6 items of the correlation between oral health and dementia. RESULTS: Among our subjects, 71.0% answered that they did not know about the Dementia National Responsibility System, 78.7% answered that they think they need the system, and 81.9% think that they should add dental health items to the Dementia National Responsibility System. The response to the need for dementia national responsibility, oral health items in the Dementia National Responsibility System, and oral specialists all showed scores of >4 points. The need for the Dementia National Responsibility System, oral health items, and specialists were found. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to include oral health care items in the Dementia National Responsibility System so that elderly individuals with dementia can receive the needed oral health care.

A Study on the Number of Brushing Strokes in Toothbrushing Education / 치위생과학회지

The purpose of this study was to focus on the number of brushing strokes among the performance factors and identify if the 10 times stroke of the rolling method is rational. Moreover, we evaluated the changes in oral health knowledge, perception, and behavior after our rolling method instruction. The 10-stroke method of toothbrushing has been regarded as an effective method of removal of dental plaque, although there is little evidence to support this claim. We allocated 40 healthy subjects to two intervention groups. During five visits, we measured a score for dental plaque removal and instructed the subjects on a toothbrushing technique with 5 or 10 strokes per section. At the initial and final visits, subjects completed a questionnaire on one designed specifically for this study about oral health knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the dental plaque removal score between the groups, and the changes in scores within each group over time. We also compared changes in mean scores in oral health knowledge, perceptions and behaviors before and after toothbrushing instruction. We found that the score for dental plaque removal increased with each additional toothbrushing instruction in both groups (p < 0.001). However, we found no differences in the dental plaque removal scores between the 5-stroke and 10-stroke groups (p=0.399). The levels of oral health knowledge, perceptions and behaviors increased after the toothbrushing instructions in both groups. Our findings suggest that there is no advantage in emphasizing the 10-stroke method of toothbrushing in an oral health education program.

A Case Study on the Validity of Dental Communication Curriculum of a Dental Hygiene Department / 치위생과학회지

The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the content of an educational curriculum by understanding the opinions of experts in the development of weekly educational content for dental communication or communication-related subjects. It was composed of educational content on how to communicate with patients by cultivating a professional attitude through basic contents and a self-understanding of communication. Three experts were asked to evaluate the feasibility of educational contents and their appropriateness in order to evaluate the criteria for certification as a dental hygienist. The validity of the weekly educational contents and the period of education were awarded 4 points out of a maximum of 5 points; overall, the curriculum was evaluated to be valid and to be acceptable for use as criteria for certification evaluation. On the other hand, it was confirmed that not only should the contents be made appropriate for the grade level, but it should be complemented so that theoretical and practical learning can be achieved in a gradual and interrelated manner rather than as a one-time curriculum. Therefore, the result of this study can be considered for use as background data for curriculum development, and for standardization of the communication course in the dental hygiene department.

Survey of Adults' Perceptions of the Association between Chronic Diseases and Oral Health / 치위생과학회지

The aim of this study was to investigate adult individuals' perceptions on the association between chronic diseases and oral health provide basic data required for motivating individuals to follow ideal oral health behaviors and boost their interests in oral disease prevention and treatment. Subjects in their 20s to 50s were selected through the convenience sampling method and eleven questions were set as factors and answered via self-administered questionnaires. To determine statistical significance, analysis of variance was used with the level of significance set at 0.05. The subjects' perception of the association between chronic diseases and oral health were analyzed with respect to their health behaviors. Individuals with relatively higher stress levels demonstrated higher levels of perception levels (p<0.05). Public education regarding the association between chronic diseases and oral health has not been ideally effective in South Korea. Thus, the general public's perceptions of the association between chronic diseases and oral health should be revised. In addition aspects regarding this matter should be enhanced within oral health education programs which often only focus on demonstrating the importance of oral health management so that individuals can get sufficient information on the association between chronic diseases and oral health.

Study on Clinical Dental Hygiene in Korea Based on Analysis of Clinical Dental Hygiene Curriculum of Fones School in the United States / 치위생과학회지

The aim of this study was to analyze in depth the standardized Clinical dental hygiene curriculum of the Fones School in the United States. We investigated the clinical dental hygiene curriculum in 2015~2016 including title, credit, hours, contents, goals, competencies, and evaluation. We obtained the course syllabus and data related to each subject, for each grade, from the professors and students at the university. The goals and competencies, of the clinical dental hygiene program, which were based on the goals of the Fones School and the mission of the University of Bridgeport, were developed in accordance with the dental hygienist practice standards proposed by the American Dental Hygienists Association. The curriculum consisted of theory to teach proper dental hygiene care procedures and incorporated practical exercises that modeled an actual clinical setting. The students had to document the procedures performed for each client/patient and improve their clinical competency through discussion with the professors. Dental hygiene care should be provided for children, adolescents, adults, elderly, and patients, which includes patients with moderate or severe periodontal status. Students were evaluated by a paper test or case study presentation and their clinical evaluation was based on their clinical competency. In particular, professors evaluated students on a rotational basis, so they could evaluate the level of achievement of clinical competency of all students and find ways to improve any weaknesses. Therefore, the current study suggested that clinical dental hygiene program in Korea could be improved if based on the curriculum of Fones School in the United States.

Study on Current Curriculum Analysis of Clinical Dental Hygiene for Dental Hygiene Students in Korea / 치위생과학회지

The purpose of this study was to provide basic data to standardize the clinical dental hygiene curriculum, based on analysis of current clinical dental hygiene curricula in Korea. We emailed questionnaires to 12 schools to investigate clinical dental hygiene curricula, from February to March, 2017. We analyzed the clinical dental hygiene curricula in 5 schools with a 3-year program and in 7 schools with a 4-year program. The questionnaire comprised nine items on topics relating to clinical dental hygiene, and four items relating to the dental hygiene process and oral prophylaxis. The questionnaire included details regarding the subject name, the grade/semester/credit system, course content and class hours, the number of senior professors, and the number of patients available for dental hygiene clinical training purposes. In total, there were 96 topics listed in the curricula relating to clinical dental hygiene training, and topics varied between the schools. There was an average of 20.4 topic credits, and more credits and hours were allocated to the 4-year program than to the 3-year program. On average, the ratio of students to professors was 21.4:1. Course content included infection control, concepts for dental hygiene processes, dental hygiene assessment, intervention and evaluation, case studies, and periodontal instrumentation. An average of 2 hours per patient was spent on dental hygiene practice, with an average of 1.9 visits. On average, student clinical training involved 19 patients and 26.6 patients in the 3-year and 4-year programs, respectively. The average participation time per student per topic was 38.0 hours and 53.1 hours, in the 3-year and 4-year programs, respectively. Standardizing the clinical dental hygiene curricula in Korea will require consensus guidelines on topics, the number of classes required to achieve core competencies as a dental hygienist, and theory and practice time.

Effectiveness and Learning Experience of Dental Communication Course Training in Dental Hygiene Schools / 치위생과학회지

The purpose of this study was to develop a dental communication course in dental hygiene schools that included theory, practice, and skill for effective dental communication. Thirty-six senior dental hygiene students in a dental hygiene school took a dental communication course and responded to a questionnaire. The instrument used in the study was a modified form of Kim's communication skill self-assessment sheet. The self-assessment questionnaire about communication competencies was administered before and after the class, and the difference between scores at each time point was analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank sum test. Among seven elements of dental communication competencies, the competency of “information gathering” was significantly improved (p=0.008). Students' scores on perception of the importance (p=0.019) and necessity (0.016) of a communication course significantly increased after the course. Competencies in communication are essential requirement for dental hygienists. This study showed the possibility of communication skill training. An objective evaluation tool regarding students' communication competencies should be developed. Further studies with larger samples size are needed to develop a standardized comprehensive communication course in dental hygiene schools.