Testing five social-cognitive models to explain predictors of personal oral health behaviours and intention to improve them.

PURPOSE: To test the ability of several social-cognitive models to explain current behaviour and to predict intentions to engage in three different health behaviours (toothbrushing, flossing and mouthrinsing). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Constructs from the health belief model (HBM), theory of reasoned action (TRA), theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the motivational process of the health action process approach (HAPA) were measured simultaneously in an undergraduate student sample of 172 first-year medical students. RESULTS: Regarding toothbrushing, the TRA, TPB, HBM (without the inclusion of self-efficacy SE), HBM+SE and HAPA predictor models explained 7.4%, 22.7%, 10%, 10.2% and 10.1%, respectively, of the variance in behaviour and 7.5%, 25.6%, 12.1%, 17.5% and 17.2%, respectively, in intention. Regarding dental flossing, the TRA, TPB, HBM, HBM+SE and HAPA predictor models explained 39%, 50.6, 24.1%, 25.4% and 27.7%, respectively, of the variance in behaviour and 39.4%, 52.7%, 33.7%, 35.9% and 43.2%, respectively, in intention. Regarding mouthrinsing, the TRA, TPB, HBM, HBM+SE and HAPA predictor models explained 43.9%, 45.1%, 20%, 29% and 36%, respectively, of the variance in behaviour and 58%, 59.3%, 49.2%, 59.8% and 66.2%, respectively, in intention. The individual significant predictors for current behaviour were attitudes, barriers and outcome expectancy. CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed that the theory of planned behaviours and the health action process approach were the best predictor of intentions to engage in both behaviours.

Modeling the theory of planned behavior for intention to improve oral health behaviors: the impact of attitudes, knowledge, and current behavior.

The aim of this study was to test the efficiency of an extended model of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in predicting intention to improve oral health behaviors. The participants in this cross-sectional study were 153 first-year medical students (mean age 20.16, 50 males and 103 females) who completed a questionnaire assessing intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, oral health knowledge, and current oral hygiene behaviors. Attitudes toward oral health behaviors and perceived behavioral control contributed to the model for predicting intention, whereas subjective norms did not. Attitudes toward oral health behaviors were slightly more important than perceived behavioral control in predicting intention. Oral health knowledge significantly affected affective and cognitive attitudes, while current behavior was not a significant predictor of intention to improve oral health behavior. The model had a slightly better fit among females than among males, but was similar for home and professional dental health care. Our findings revealed that attitude, perceived behavioral control, and oral health knowledge are predictors of intention to improve oral health behaviors. These findings may help both dentists and dental hygienists in educating patients in oral health and changing patients' oral hygiene habits.

Relation of achievement motives, satisfaction with life, happiness and oral health in Romanian university students.

PURPOSE: The objective of the present study was to investigate whether achievement motives, satisfaction with life and happiness are associated with oral health behaviour and perceived gingival status. METHODS: The present study sample consisted of 178 first-year medical students. The questionnaire included information about sociodemographic factors, behavioural variables, perceived oral health status, achievement motives (hope of success and fear of failure), satisfaction with life and subjective happiness scales. RESULTS: It was observed that individuals who presented higher values of satisfaction with life and happiness rated their gingival status as being very good/excellent and that individuals who presented higher values of hope of success reported to brush frequently. When the oral health behaviour was analysed, it was revealed that persons who brushed their teeth more than twice a day reported higher values of hope of success when compared with individuals who reported their toothbrushing frequency to be once a day or less. It was also revealed that persons who visited their clinician for check-ups reported higher values of subjective happiness. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that stress in everyday life and hope of success were positively associated with the toothbrushing frequency and that satisfaction with life was positively associated with the gingival health status. CONCLUSIONS: Hope of success and satisfaction with life should be considered as predictors of good oral health behaviour/status.

Self-reported oral health status, oral health-related behaviours, resilience and hope in Romania.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether resilience, hope, perceived oral health status and oral health-related behaviours were associated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample consisted of 198 first-year medical students in Romania. The questionnaire included information about sociodemographic factors, behavioural variables, perceived oral health status, resilience and hope. RESULTS: Women had more resilience and 'personal competence' than men (P < 0.05). Resilience and hope were correlated with perceived dental health (P < 0.01). Perceived dental health was related to current non-treated caries, satisfaction with the appearance of one's own teeth, toothache last time and resilience (P < 0.001). Age, gender, current extracted teeth, perceived gingival bleeding and hope were not independent distinguishing variables after adjustment for internal heterogeneity. When oral health behaviours (toothbrushing, flossing, mouthrinse frequency and pattern of dental visit) were evaluated, it was demonstrated that flossing frequency was correlated with resilience and hope (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that resilience and hope might be a psychosocial risk marker that influences perceived oral health status and behaviours.

Self-control and self-confidence: their relationship to self-rated oral health status and behaviours.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between self-control and self-confidence, and students' self-rated oral health and oral-health-related behaviours. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study sample consisted of 178 first-year medical students. The questionnaire that was used in this study included information about sociodemographic factors, behavioural factors, self-reported oral health status, self-control and self-confidence. RESULTS: The results showed that mean levels of self-confidence in individuals with current extracted teeth and with poor/very poor perceived gingival condition were statistically significant and lower than those with no current extracted teeth and with self-rated excellent gingival health (P < 0.05). Also participants with self-reported gingival bleeding showed lower values of self-control compared with those with healthy non-bleeding gingiva (P < 0.05). When oral health behaviour was evaluated, it was shown that students with higher scores of self-control were more likely to use everyday mouthrinses (P < 0.05). The multiple linear regression analyses showed, for self-rated oral and gingival health status as dependent variable, a strong association with students' self-confidence level (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results support the view that self-confidence is related with oral health status, and individuals with impaired oral and gingival health have a low self-confidence level.

Investigating the relationship between self-reported oral health status, oral health-related behaviours and self-consciousness in Romania.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether self-consciousness, self-reported oral health status and oral-health-related behaviours were associated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The present study sample consisted of 253 first year medical students in Romania. The questionnaire included information about socio-demographic factors, behavioural variables, self-reported oral health status and three self-consciousness subscales (Private Self-Consciousness, Public Self-Consciousness, and Social Anxiety). RESULTS: Significant differences were found in Public Self-Consciousness and Social Anxiety according to several variables: anxiety, stress, depression and current non-treated caries. There were significant differences in Social Anxiety for the variables of gender, smoking, perceived dental health, self-reported gum bleeding and reason for dental visit (p < 0.05). A significant difference was found in Public Self-Consciousness for the reason for dental visits (p < 0.05). Total Self-Consciousness is correlated with anxiety, stress, depression, current non-treated caries, gingival bleeding and reason for dental visit. Oral health behaviours such as tooth brushing, flossing, mouth washing and last dental visit were not influenced by each of the self-consciousness subscales. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that self-consciousness might be a psychosocial risk marker that influences self-reported oral health status.

Is it an association between body appreciation, self-criticism, oral health status and oral health-related behaviors?

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to investigate whether body appreciation and self-criticism are associated with self-reported oral health status and oral-health-related behaviors were associated. METHODS: The present study sample consisted of 178 first year medical students. The questionnaire included information about socio-demographic factors, behavioral variables, self-reported oral health status, self-criticism and body appreciation. RESULTS: Significant differences were found on body appreciation and self-criticism scales according to several variables: gender, anxiety, stress, depression, smoking status, perceived dental health status, current extracted teeth, satisfaction by appearance of own teeth, self-reported gingival condition. When oral health behaviours were analysed we observed that toothbrushing frequency once a day or less was reported mainly in persons with low-levels of body appreciation (P < 0.01) and comparative self-criticism (P < 0.05). Moreover, individuals who visit their dentist mainly when treatment is needed or when in pain were compared with persons who visit their dentist mainly for check-up or for tooth cleaning and scaling; they showed lower levels of body appreciation (P = 0.005), as well as higher levels of comparative self-criticism (P < 0.05), internalized self-criticism (P < 0.05) and total self-criticism (P = 0.009). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that anxiety in everyday life, body appreciation and comparative self-criticism scales were significantly positively associated with oral health status (r2 = 0.144; F = 3.436, P = 0.001), while body appreciation was related also to gingival health-related status (r2 = 0.087; F = 1.943, P = 0.057). When oral health behaviors were evaluated, it was shown that gender and body appreciation scale were positively associated with toothbrushing frequency (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that there is an increased risk for impaired dental health status and behaviour among subjects with low levels of body appreciation and high levels of self-criticism.