Abstract
The level of knowledge and individual concern to health are important and influence healthy or risky behaviors for health.
Aim: to assess the oral health kmowledge among two groups of students aged between 9 and 13, from two cities: Bucharest and Tehran.
Material and Method: In the study developed in 2015 were included 110 pupils, divided in two equal groups. The mean age was 11.24 years (SD±1.26). The purpose of the study was explained and schoolchildren answered an anonymous questionnaire with closed questions.
Results: Pupils’ knowledge is relatively high regarding the main aspects of oral health and dental caries prevention. Subjects in the study are less familiar with the role of carbonated drinks and fruits in the occurrence of dental hypersensitivity. The main source of information related to dental health is the family.
Conclusion: Schoolchildren need oral health education lessons in schools especially regarding dental hypersensitivity. The involvement of dentists in the education of patients is also required to improve the level of medical knowledge.
Key words: schoolchildren, medical knowledge, oral health.
Introduction
The level of knowledge and individual concern to health are important and influence healthy or risky behaviors for general and oral health [1, 2].
In order to ensure its continuity, society has been conditioned to transmit to the new generations the necessary knowledge, attitudes and behaviors [3]. The process of education is initially informal, in the family; subsequently formally in organizations (kindergartens, schools, high schools, faculties, colleges) through standardized programs and methods and with the help of specialized staff (educators, teachers, professors) [3].
In children there is a dependence on the family and the school environment, so the sanogenic behaviors monitored by parents and teachers, become skills in adult life. It is therefore very important that oral health education to be carried from childhood, when information is easily assimilated [4, 5].
The factors that influence an individual’s decision to behave in a certain way are: his knowledge, beliefs, values and attitudes. There is a complex of factors that potentiate each other to make the change possible, but only knowledge does not necessarily lead to behavior change [4]. Medical knowledge is obtained from the information provided by doctors, dentists, nurses, family, teachers, friends and the media. It is important that this information to be scientifically correct [4].
Aim of the study
The study aims to assess the level of knowledge about oral health among two groups of schoolchildren aged between 9 and 13, from two cities, Bucharest and Tehran.
Material and method
The study group included 110 students (mean age 11.24, DS±1.26), 55 from a school in Bucharest and 55 from a school in Tehran, in 2015. The students were given an anonymous questionnaire related to oral health knowledge, recommended by World Health Organization. The questionnaire was translated by a student at the Faculty of Dentistry and was applied in both cities to complete the diploma thesis. Descriptive statistic of the obtained results was performed in tables.
The ethical aspect of the research consisted in obtaining the agreement for the study from the school management and the pupils, to whom the purpose of the study was explained. Data confidentiality was ensured. We started from the hypothesis that there are differences in oral health behavior between the two groups, due to the social and cultural context.
Results
Of the 110 participants, 57.3% are female students. Most subjects are 12 years old (24.5%), 11 years old (23.6%), 10 years old (22.7%), 11 and 13 years old (20%) and the youngest (9.1%) are 9 years old. The results are presented in tables, for the whole group and separately, for each of the two groups studied, from Bucharest and Tehran.
In the following six statements, subjects had to choose one of three answer options (yes, no, and I don’t know): dental problems damage the physical appearance of an individual; it is important that some drinks are not good for the teeth; carbonated drinks cause cavities; beverages make our teeth sensitive to cold or when we eat fruits; sweets cause dental caries; brushing teeth protects your teeth from tooth decay.
The results show that most schoolchildren fromn the present study believe that dental problems have an impact on physical appearance (88.2%), with no differences between the two groups (Table I).
Table I. Students’ knowledge about the impact of dental problems on physical appearance
Most subjects included in the study (75.4%) recognize the importance of the type of drinks on dental health, 78.2% for the group in Tehran and 72.7% for the group in Bucharest (Table II).
Table II. Knowledge regarding the impact of the type of drink they consume on dental health
Most respondents know the role of carbonated beverages in the occurrence of tooth decay (74.5%), in a higher percentage the students from Tehran (Table III).
Table III. Knowledge of schoolchildren related to the role of beverages in dental caries
Knowledge about the role of carbonated drinks and fruits in the occurrence of dental hypersensitivity is relatively low, it is known by only about half of the subjects (Table IV). Schoolchildren correlate carbonated beverages with tooth decay rather than hypersensitivity. Perhaps they did not understand the meaning of “sensitive teeth” or have not experienced this type of problem so far. Similar results are found for both groups (Table IV).
Table IV. Knowledge of the role of carbonated drinks and fruits on dental hypersensitivity
The role of sweets in the appearance of dental caries is recognized by almost all subjects (91%), only 4.5% answer incorect and 4.5% say they do not know. It is observed that there are no differences between the two groups (Table V).
Table V. Students’ knowledge about the role of sweets’ consumption in the tooth decay
The role of toothbrushing in preventing dental caries is a very well known aspect by the schoolchildren included in the study (98.2%), identical results are shown for both groups, only one subject from each group answers incorrectly (Table VI).
Table VI. Knowledge about the role of toothbrushing in preventing tooth decay
The results show that the family is the main source of information on oral health (64.5%). Only about one third mention the dentist as the source of information. The school as a source of information (teachers or educational programs in classrooms) is found in a very small percentage (3.6%) (Table VII). The results are similar for the 2 groups of students in the study.
Table VII. Main sources of oral health information among pupils
Discussions
The results are similar for the two groups on knowledge related to the impact of dental problems on physical appearance, the importance of the type of fluids they consume on dental health, the role of carbonated drinks and fruits in dental hypersensitivity; the role of sweets on dental caries; the role of personal toothbrushing in preventing tooth decay.
In general, the results are similar for the two groups of schoolchildren. However, there are some differences that reflect the different social and cultural environment of the students included in the study. The data presented show that the results are different for the two groups in terms of: pupils’ knowledge of the role of carbonated drinks in the occurrence of tooth decay, a higher percentage of students in Tehran knows the correct answer.
Conclusions
The results of the study show a relatively high level of knowledge regarding many aspects of oral health: the role of sweets’ consumption in tooth decay, the role of toothbrushing in preventing dental caries, the impact of dental problems on physical appearance of individuals, and the importance of fluid type on dental health.
The knowledge of the students involved in the study is incorrect regarding the role of carbonated drinks and fruits in the occurrence of dental hypersensitivity.
The family is the main source of information on personal dental hygiene and caries prevention, so it is necessary to promote oral health in schools, and also to increase the involvement of dentists in patient education and good information for parents in order to ensure a correct sanogenic message to their children.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS to all schoolchildren involved in the study and to former dental student Shabani Elmira for collecting data among pupils in Tehran.
References
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- Dumitrache AM, Sfeatcu IR, Cărămidă Mariana, Lambescu DG. Principles and methods applied for clinical research in oral health and community dentistry. Curtea Veche Publishing House. Bucharest, 2016
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