ABSTRACT
Background. Health promotion of adolescents is a high priority in Poland. Epidemiological data still indicates the low effectiveness of the health care system in this area. The relationship between the state of oral health and the vocational education of adolescents seems to be justified. The objective is to evaluate changes in the oral health status, eating habits, and the relationship between oral health and lifestyle related to vocational education among students from a secondary technical school of gastronomy and electro-engineering and information technology. Methods. The study consisted of two stages (at the beginning and end of education) and two parts: a questionnaire and a dental examination. The study group initially included 55 male students from the secondary technical school of gastronomy and 54 in electro-engineering and information technology school. In the second stage of the study, it was 42 and 51, respectively. Results. After three years, in the engineering and information technology group, compared to gastronomy one, a statistically significant increase in caries prevalence and the number of students eating between meals was observed. Conclusions. Professional education on proper nutrition conducted in the gastronomic school could have a decisive impact on the better oral health status of students.
Subject(s)
Dental Caries , Oral Health , Adolescent , Dental Caries/epidemiology , Educational Status , Health Education , Humans , Male , Nutritional Status , SchoolsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The growing incidence of caries at all ages groups, justifies the need of constant search for effective methods of preventing, also in the context of the assessment of the impact of occupational agent. The research hypothesis assumed that due to the specificity of the profession, students of the gastronomic school have forced, additional contact with food. Thus it might be difficult for them students to maintain proper oral hygiene and, consequently, increase the incidence of tooth decay. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group comprised 109 men: 55 students of a gastronomic technical school (GA) and for comparison 54 students of an electrical and IT technical school (E-I), whose vocational education was completely unrelated to food processing. The study was performed at 2 stages (at the beginning and after 3 years of practical vocational training) and comprised of 2 parts: a dental examination and a questionnaire examination (assessment of individual oral hygiene, preferred food products and sources of knowledge about nutrition). RESULTS: After 3 years of observation, a higher, statistically significant, increase in the number of people with caries (P > 0) was observed in the group of students from the E-I school. The analysis of the sources of knowledge on healthy eating and oral hygiene showed that after 3 years of practical vocational training, the main source of knowledge for GA students was school and the Internet, for E-I students the internet and the family. CONCLUSIONS: The smaller increase in the incidence of tooth decay in the group of GA might probably be associated with the theoretical and practical teaching of food and nutrition in the school. Therefore, the methods of conducting pro-health education on oral hygiene in vocational schools should be improved and the standards of medical conduct during obligatory preventive examinations in every student starting their practical vocational training should be extended. Med Pr. 2022;73(3):219-27.
