Association between dental caries, oral hygiene, and oral health practices

Abstract

Objective: This study determined the associations between dental caries, oral hygiene status and oral health care  practices among first-year undergraduates in a private university in Nigeria.

Methods: Secondary data was obtained  from a cross-sectional study that recruited first-year undergraduates undertaking mandatory medical screening  exercises. Data collection was through a self-administered questionnaire that assessed participants’ sociodemographic  characteristics and preventive oral health care measures. Oral examination for dental caries and oral hygiene status was  done by qualified dentists. Data collected were analyzed using STATA version 13 for Mac Air. Pearson’s Chisquare  test was used to establish the associations between dental caries, oral hygiene, and preventive oral health care. Binary  logistic regression was used to estimate the degree of association between the dependent and the independent variables.

Results: Of the 1,164 students that were screened, 123 (10.6%) had dental caries and 125 (10.7%) had poor oral  hygiene. The frequency of tooth brushing in the morning after meal and at night after the meal was less than 6%  across all age groups in both sexes. A higher poor oral hygiene prevalence was seen among participants who rarely use  dental floss (36.0%) and those that had never used dental floss (41.6%). There was a significant difference in the  consumption of refined sugar between females and males (P=0.01). Only 7.4% of the study participants visit the dental  clinic once every six months in the multivariate model on dental caries, oral health care practices had no significant  impact but age and students’ last dental visit had a significant impact on oral hygiene status.

Conclusion: A low caries  prevalence was recorded among the students. “Good oral hygiene” status recorded was low. Age and last dental visit  were the strongest contributors. Students should be encouraged during their screening exercises to imbibe good oral  hygiene measures and improve their oral health care practices including twice-yearly dental visits.