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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Oral health, oral health care and dental services--the consumer perspective.

As part of a National Oral Health Survey conducted in 1988/89, community knowledge of and attitudes towards oral health and oral health care were examined in the various population groups in South Africa. A wide range of issues were explored. These included amongst others, help-seeking and oral health behaviour, sources of health information and attitudes to dentists and dental care. Given the major political change that has recently occurred in the country, the results of the survey suggest that these findings could profitably be used in future dental personnel planning as well as in the re-structuring of the health services that is currently taking place.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed2005

Self-reported oral health, oral hygiene habits, and dental attendance of pregnant women in Kuwait.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe self-reported oral health, oral hygiene habits, and frequency of visits to a dentist among pregnant women in Kuwait. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study with an anonymous structured questionnaire was distributed among 650 pregnant women during May-June 2003, when they were admitted to the maternity ward at the largest government maternity hospital in Kuwait City. The response rate was 93% (n=603). RESULTS: Every fourth respondent was in her first pregnancy, while 36% already had three or more children. Every fifth woman felt that her oral health was poor, and one-third of the women believed that they had periodontal problems currently. About two-thirds of the women were brushing more than once a day and almost all (94%) at least once a day. Over the previous 6 months, 40% had experienced dental pain. Half of the women had visited a dentist during pregnancy, mostly for dental pain. Most of the women had received no instructions concerning oral health care during their pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of the pregnant women in this study had oral health problems; however, half of the women had not seen a dentist during their pregnancy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Self-assessed dental health, oral health practices, and general health behaviors in Chinese urban adolescents.

The objectives of this study were: to describe perceived dental health status and oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in Chinese urban adolescents; to assess the associations of oral health variables with socio-economic status and school performance; and to analyse the relative effect of socio-behavioral risk factors on perceived dental health, perceived need for dental care, and experience of dental symptoms. A cross-sectional survey of 2662 adolescents was conducted in eight capital cities in China; the response rate was 92%. The study population was chosen by multistage cluster sampling and covered three age groups: 11, 13, and 15 years. Data on dental and general health were collected by self-administered questionnaires. Self-assessment of dental health of Chinese adolescents was generally good, only 12% of the students answered that their teeth were "poor" or "very poor", and 9% claimed having "poor" or "very poor" gums. Eleven percent of participants said that other students made fun of their teeth; 24% of the respondents were dissatisfied with the appearance of their teeth, and 41% claimed that they had experienced toothache or symptoms during the previous 12 months. Positive attitudes towards dental care were found in all age groups; 67% of adolescents brushed their teeth at least twice a day and 48% of the students used fluoridated toothpaste. Only 26% of the students visited a dentist during the previous 12 months. In all, 6% of the adolescents had tried cigarette smoking at least once, while 41% reported having tasted alcohol drinks. Multivariate regression analyses showed that perceived dental health status and needs were associated with gender, age, unhealthy lifestyles, poor school performance, and socio-economic status. The establishment of school-based health promotion programs in China is urgently needed, and promotion of oral health lifestyles should be integrated with other general health actions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Utilisation of oral health services, oral health needs and oral health status in a peri-urban informal settlement.

Interviews were conducted with 294 black residents (155 females and 138 males) of a peri-urban informal settlement in Gauteng to ascertain utilisation of oral health services, oral health needs and oral health status. Only 37 per cent of the sample had consulted a dentist or medical practitioner, usually for extractions. Teenagers and employed persons were significantly less likely to utilise dentists than the older age groups and unemployed persons. Forty per cent were currently experiencing oral health problems such as a sore mouth, tooth decay and bleeding/painful gums. Two hundred and twelve (73 per cent) interviewees wanted dental treatment or advice. Residents who rated their oral health status as fair or poor appeared to have the greatest need for oral health services. The use of interviews appears to be a cost-effective method of determining oral morbidity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

An exploratory qualitative study of Otago adolescents' views of oral health and oral health care.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate Otago adolescents' views of oral health and oral health care, in order to increase understanding of the influences on their use or non-use of free care. DESIGN: The study employed a qualitative approach, using focus groups and grounded theory analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Participants ranged in age from 13 to 18, and included both genders and a variety of educational attainments, ethnicities and family incomes. Focus groups were conducted in schools, training centres, a place of employment, a CYF (Child, Youth and Family) Home, and a University Hall of Residence. RESULTS: While aware of the normative pressure to attend for free dental care and engage in oral health care, Otago adolescents consider doing so to be "just so gay". They exhibit strongly held preconceptions about the expense of dentistry and the respective competence of dentists and dental therapists. The dental surgery environment was viewed as a major disincentive. Adolescent oral health beliefs centred on two models: the medicalised, pragmatic view of oral health (which valued the function of teeth); and the cosmetic view of oral health (which valued the aesthetics of teeth); or a combination of these two models. In both models, media advertising for oral health care products was a significant source of oral health information. The preferred oral health behaviour associated with the medicalised model was frequent use of chewing gum and rapid toothbrushing, and, for the cosmetic model frequent use of chewing gum and breath fresheners. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the international literature on the use/non-use of dental services even when the financial barriers to seeking such services has been removed. New Zealand dental care has developed without reference to the changing norms of youth culture, and the conventional dental practice setting is not viewed by adolescents as being inviting or appropriate. Increasing the uptake of free oral health care by that group will require some innovative approaches.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Oral health and oral health behaviour among 11-13-year-olds in Bhopal, India.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of dental caries, to describe the periodontal conditions, and to assess the level of attitude, knowledge and practice in relation to oral health and oral health behaviour among 11-13 year-old children in Bhopal, India. The data would aim to provide a baseline for planning and evaluation of oral health education programmes for children in the region. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN AND OUTCOME MEASURES: A cross sectional study of 599 children 11-13 years was conducted. Random sampling procedures were used to obtain representative samples of children in rural (n = 181) and urban areas (n = 277). In urban slum areas convenience sampling was applied (n = 141). The data were collected through clinical examinations by means of WHO standard method, and a sub-sample completed a self-administered questionnaire on oral health behaviour, knowledge, and attitude. RESULTS: The caries prevalence proportion in both dentitions was 57% with a mean DMFT+dmft of 1.6. The caries experience was 2.5 times higher among children in slum areas compared to children living in rural areas. Fifteen per cent of the children had healthy gingiva and 91% of rural children had maximum CPI score 2. Mean number of sextants with CPI score 0 was 3.5 among children in urban areas and 0.6 for children in slum areas. Seventy-five per cent of the children reported toothbrushing once a day, 31% used a plastic toothbrush and the general level of knowledge on oral health was low. Intake of sugary food and soft drinks were more frequent in the slum areas compared to rural areas. CONCLUSION: Implementation of community-oriented oral health promotion programmes is needed in order to increase the level of knowledge and to change attitudes and practices in relation to oral health among children. Essential care should be provided to control oral disease symptoms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Risk awareness, exposure to oral health information, oral health related beliefs and behaviours among students attending higher learning institutions in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of exposure to information about oral health from local sources, risk awareness, oral health beliefs and behaviours among male and female students attending higher learning institutions in Dar es Salaam. DESIGN: A cross sectional survey. SETTING: Government recognised higher education institutions in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in 1999. SUBJECTS: The study population comprised of 1123 university students in Dar es Salaam. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Level of risk awareness, exposure to oral health information, oral health beliefs and behaviour among students. RESULTS: Despite apparent misconceptions, the level of risk awareness was generally high and did not differ between male and female students. Univariate analysis of variance revealed that female students were exposed to more oral health information, had stronger oral beliefs and performed preventive behaviours more frequently than did their male counterparts. In multiple linear regression analysis, beliefs about the importance of preventive behaviours were significantly related to the frequency with which such habits occurred (beta = 0.19, p < 0.001) across gender and students status. This relationship was significantly stronger among females (beta = 0.33, p < 0.001) than among males (beta = 0.11 p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that strengthening beliefs in the presence of accurate knowledge might successfully promote students' oral health enhancing behaviour.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Are there differences in oral health and oral health behavior between individuals with high and low dental fear?

Epidemiological studies of the relationship between dental fear, use of dental services, and oral health in different age groups in a common population are scarce. Dental fear and its relationships are usually described in individuals with high dental fear only. The purposes of this study were to describe the prevalence of dental fear in the Norwegian adult population according to age, and to explore differences in oral health, oral hygiene, and visiting habits between individuals with high and low dental fear. For the present study, data from the Trøndelag-94 study were used. The prevalence of dental fear in our study population of adults in Trøndelag, Norway was 6.6%. There was a tendency for individuals with high dental fear to engage in avoidance behavior more frequently than the low dental fear group. Individuals with high dental fear had a statistically significantly higher number of decayed surfaces (DS), decayed teeth, (DT) and missing teeth (MT) but a statistically significantly lower number of filled surfaces (FS), filled teeth (FT), functional surfaces (FSS), and functional teeth (FST). There were no differences in DMFS and DMFT between the groups of high and low dental fear. Since one of the superior aims of the dental profession is to help a patient to achieve a high number of functional teeth throughout life, consequently detecting and treating dental fear should therefore be an important aspect of dental processionals' work.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Oral health and oral health behaviour in a population of diabetic outpatient clinic attenders.

The control of oral health in individuals suffering from diabetes mellitus may affect a diabetic individual's insulin requirements. This study examined the oral health status and behaviours of a group of diabetic patients and compared the results to those obtained in a recent UK national survey of oral health. The results showed that, despite reporting higher levels of oral self-care, the diabetic population suffered from higher rates of caries than "normal" individuals. These differences could not be accounted for by the treatment received from dentists. It is concluded that diabetic patients are more caries prone than the general population and that the cause of this difference should be sought, as the traditional aetiological agent for caries cannot account for the increased caries rate. If the aetiology of the findings of this study were determined, progress could be made in the search for indicators of increased caries risk.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Health through oral health; guidelines for planning and monitoring for oral health care: a critical comment on the WHO model.

Recently a joint working group of WHO/FDI published guidelines for planning and monitoring oral health care. In the report a model for calculations of future need for dental manpower was introduced as an effective planning tool. An analysis of whether the WHO model is appropriate to calculate the future need for manpower planning was carried out. It appears that the model has serious methodological shortcomings. The model expects the user to know the future oral care needs concerning preventive, special group, surgical, orthodontic, and periodontal care. In calculating future needs for restorative and prosthetic care, the model restricts itself to looking back in time and roughly calculating what has happened in the past, assuming this will happen again.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Conceptualizing oral health and oral health-related quality of life.

This investigation considers oral health from a health-related quality of life perspective using a multidimensional concept representing a combination of impairment, function, perceptions, and/or opportunity. A subset of dentate individuals aged 18 and older from a national probability sample of the U.S. was selected for the reported analysis with data available from personal interviews, self-administered questionnaires, and oral examinations. Impairment was represented by clinically assessed active diseases and sequelae of diseases and self-reported acute symptoms. Other domains are represented by self-reported problems with function, perception of control over oral health, satisfaction with teeth, value attributed to oral health, and opportunity to obtain dental care. Principal components analysis with varimax rotation provided a structure to interpret four factors: accumulated oral neglect, self-perceived symptoms and problems, reparable oral diseases, and oral health values and priorities. Approximately 50% of the variance was explained by these four factors. Factor-based scores, envisioned as an index or summary measure representing the combination of variables identified in each factor, were used to assess potential validity. Whites had lower levels of accumulated oral neglect, fewer symptoms, and less reparable oral disease, but similar oral health values, than non-whites. Level of formal education was associated with each of the four factor-based scores. Age was directly associated with accumulated oral neglect, but the youngest age group had significantly more reparable oral diseases. Individuals with a dental visit in the past two years had considerably less accumulated oral neglect, fewer self-perceived problems, less reparable oral disease, and higher values of oral health than those without a dental visit in the past two years. Ordinary least square regressions were performed on each of the four factor-based scores using eight sociodemographic and economic variables. All four regression models were significant, with only the education variable being significant across all models. These analyses provide no evidence for one unique factor representing oral health. Rather, a conceptual framework for oral health appears to be represented by a set of reasonably independent components, including two groups of clinically assessed oral health, which together more fully represent oral health than any one single variable. Conceptualizing and measuring oral health multidimensionally leads us closer to examining it as part of general health.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Racial differences in perception of oral health and oral health behaviours in Singapore.

Knowledge of prevention can influence preventive dental behaviours. This study surveyed knowledge and preventive dental behaviours on the prevention of dental caries and gum disease among the adult population of the three major racial groups in Singapore. Respondents were asked to rate the importance of several preventive measures against dental caries and gum disease. Questions were also fielded on dental behaviours such as preventive visits to the dentist, toothbrushing and flossing. Results showed that there was a general lack of appreciation for the use of flossing, dental sealants and fluoride supplements. Although a majority of respondents thought that regular dental checkups would be essential for prevention, the proportion who actually saw the dentist for preventive care was significantly lower. Respondents provided inappropriate reasons for brushing their teeth. Differences in both preventive knowledge and preventive dental behaviours among racial groups were evident although these were attributed to differences in education and exposure to product information rather than to racial or cultural factors.

Adult↗