Effects of health-related behaviors and oral health behaviors on oral disease symptoms in adolescents / 대한구강보건학회지

ABSTRACT

Objectives@#The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for the improvement of healthrelated behaviors, oral health behaviors and develop an oral health promotion program for adolescents. Therefore, this study investigated health-related behaviors of adolescents and their oral disease symptoms. @*Methods@#Data of 62,276 adolescents were derived from the 13th Korea youth risk behavior webbased survey. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were performed using complex sampling to determine the effects of health-related behaviors and oral health behaviors on the experience of oral disease symptoms among the adolescents. @*Results@#In total, 52.9% had developed oral symptoms in the previous year. The sample population consisted of 55.1% females, 53.4% third grade high school students, and 51.1% academic achievers. Among the adolescents, 57.6% of those categorized as having low economic status showed high oral disease experience (P<0.001). The increased intake of sweet drinks and snacks due to a higher subjective depression and perception of stress, increased the experience of oral symptoms (P<0.05). Fewer times of toothbrushing per day was correlated to an increase in oral disease symptoms (P<0.001). @*Conclusions@#As health-related behaviors and oral health behaviors formed during adolescence affect adulthood, a systematic oral health education program should be developed and implemented for proper health-related behaviors and oral health management in adolescents.