Relationship between restricted activity due to oral diseases and oral health behaviors among adolescents / 대한구강보건학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between restricted activity due to oral diseases and oral health behaviors among adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was used. The subjects were 238 middle school students and 231 high school students; a total of 469 students from 15 different schools located in 7 regions of Bucheon in Gyeonggi Province, Daejeon, and others. The adolescents who participated in the survey were chosen by convenience sampling. The association between restricted activities due to oral diseases and oral health behaviors was analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The annual experience rate of oral diseases stood at 1.4 percent, while the number of days absent and early departures from school was 0.15 days per student. The rate of middle school students who were disturbed by oral disease with respect to sleep, eating, speaking, and/or schoolwork was 33.1 percent. In high school students, it was 40.6 percent. Dental pain and gingival bleeding were identified as major factors to the restriction of activities, and being disturbed while eating was related to cariogenic beverages. CONCLUSIONS: It would be of great social interest to support and promote oral health programs among adolescents. Therefore, a national survey of the status of activity restrictions due to oral diseases in adolescents should be implemented in order to make specific future plans.