Relationship Between Oral Hygiene Status and Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Among 12 Year Old School Children in Benin City

Abstract

Background: It has been shown that good knowledge, right practices and positive attitudes towards oral health are keys to minimizing the incidence of dental diseases and improving the standard of oral hygiene and dental health in general.

Objective: To determine the relationship between oral hygiene status and oral health knowledge, attitudes and practices among 12-years old school children in Benin City.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey involving a sample of 704 12-year old school children drawn from three Local Government Area in Benin City, selected through a multistage technique. Data on oral knowledge, attitudes and practices were collected using a well-structured, interviewer-administered while Simplified Hygiene index was used to assess their oral hygiene status.

Results: About two-thirds (62.1%) of the participants had good oral hygiene status. The female participants had better oral hygiene compared to the male participants and this difference was statistically significant. About 96% of the participants had fair to good knowledge of oral health. Majority of the participants (90.3%), had positive attitudes towards oral health; the oral health practice of 27.6% of the participants was good, while most of them (47.9%) exhibited fair oral health practice with the remaining 24.6% having poor oral health practice.

Conclusion: This study revealed that participants had good oral health knowledge, practices and with positive attitudes towards oral health had better oral hygiene status. Results of the study indicated theses children oral health knowledge, attitudes and practices need to be improved.

Keywords: oral hygiene, oral health knowledge, attitude, practices, children