Awareness and Attitudes of Dental Students Regarding Contemporary Oral Hygiene Practices

Year 2024, Volume: 3 Issue: 3, 94 - 99, 31.12.2024

Başak Karasu , Hacer Eberliköse , Hakan Alpay Karasu

https://doi.org/10.62268/add.1575620

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to explore the dental students’ contemporary oral hygiene practices, their knowledge of oral care procedures, and determine the effect of dental education on eventual changes in the oral hygiene habits of the students of two different dental faculties.
Methods: This study included 377 students in two dental faculties. Habits, knowledge, and attitudes regarding dental care were obtained from the questionnaire. Statistical analysis of the data was performed by applying the Chi-Square test.
Results:
The students at Ankara Medipol University (52.3%) had a significantly higher knowledge of the working principle of power toothbrushes (oscillating-rotating) (p<0.05) compared to the students at Cankiri Karatekin University (45.1%). 36,6% of the students at Ankara Medipol University preferred essential oil, whereas 29% at Cankiri Karatekin University preferred chlorhexidine. Those who used essential oils among those studying at Ankara Medipol University were 36.6%, significantly higher than those at Cankiri Karatekin University 26.1%.The dental students' answers regarding the questions about types of interdental aids used and tongue cleaning methods did not differ significantly (p>0,05).Students at both universities stated that they did not know how plaque disclosing tablets work and did not use them before brushing their teeth.
Conclusion: Our study shows that oral hygiene knowledge is inadequate among dental students, but dentists, who form the basis of public oral and dental health, should set an example for public health. Therefore, students’ knowledge of contemporary oral hygiene procedures needs to be improved in the preclinical education.

Keywords

Oral health, Oral hygiene, dental education, dental students

Diş Hekimliği Öğrencilerinin Güncel Oral Hijyen Uygulamalarına İlişkin Farkındalık ve Tutumlarının Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, diş hekimliği öğrencilerinin güncel ağız hijyeni uygulamaları, ağız bakımı prosedürleri hakkındaki bilgilerini araştırmak ve diş hekimliği eğitiminin iki farklı diş hekimliği fakültesi öğrencilerinin ağız hijyeni alışkanlıkları üzerindeki etkisini belirlemektir.
Yöntem: Bu çalışmaya iki dişhekimliği fakültesinden 377 öğrenci katıldı. Oral hijyen ile ilgili alışkanlıklar, bilgi ve tutumlar anket yoluyla elde edildi. Verilerin istatistiksel analizi Ki-Kare testi uygulanarak yapıldı.
Bulgular: Ankara Medipol Üniversitesi öğrencileri (%52,3) Çankırı Karatekin Üniversitesi öğrencilerine (%45,1) kıyasla elektrikli diş fırçalarının çalışma prensibi hakkında anlamlı derecede daha fazla bilgiye sahipti (p<0,05). Ankara Medipol Üniversitesi'ndeki öğrencilerin %36,6'sı esansiyel yağ içeren gargaraları tercih ederken, Çankırı Karatekin Üniversitesi'ndeki öğrencilerin %29'unun klorheksidini tercih ettiği görüldü. Ankara Medipol Üniversitesi'nde okuyan öğrencilerden esansiyel yağ içeren gargara kullananlar %36,6 ile Çankırı Karatekin Üniversitesi'nde okuyan öğrencilerden %26,1 ile anlamlı derecede yüksekti. Diş hekimliği öğrencilerinin arayüz temizliği için kullandıkları araçlar ve dil temizleme yöntemleri ile ilgili sorulara verdikleri cevaplar arasında anlamlı bir fark bulunmadı (p>0,05).
Sonuç: Çalışma sonucunda, toplum ağız ve diş sağlığının temelini oluşturan dişhekimliği öğrencilerinin ağız hijyeni bilgilerinin yetersiz olduğu görüldü. Bu nedenle, öğrencilerin güncel ağız hijyeni prosedürleri hakkındaki bilgilerinin klinik öncesi eğitimde geliştirilmesi gerektiği düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

Ağız sağlığı, Oral hijyen, Diş hekimliği eğitimi, Diş hekimliği öğrencileri

References

• 1. Costalonga M, Herzberg MC. The oral microbiome and the immunobiology of periodontal disease and caries. Immunol Lett. 2014;162:22-38.
• 2. Pinto TM, de Freitas GC, Dutra DA, Kantorski KZ, Moreira CH. Frequency of mechanical removal of plaque as it relates to gingival inflammation: a randomized clinical trial. J Clin Periodontol. 2013;40:948-54.
• 3. Van der Weijden FA, Slot DE. Efficacy of homecare regimens for mechanical plaque removal in managing gingivitis a meta review. J Clin Periodontol. 2015;42:S77-91.
• 4. Cortes FJ, Nevot C, Ramon JM, Cuenca E. The evolution of dental health in dental students at the University of Barcelona. J Dent Edu. 2002;66:1203-8.
• 5. Khami MR, Virtanen JI, Jafarian M, Murtomaa H. Prevention‐oriented practice of Iranian senior dental students. Eur J Dent Edu. 2007;11:48-53.
• 6. Sbricoli L, Bernardi L, Ezeddine F, Bacci C, Di Fiore A. Oral hygiene in adolescence: a questionnaire-based study. Int J Environmen Res Public Health. 2022;19:7381.
• 7. Kawamura M. Dental behavioral science. The relationship between perceptions of oral health and oral status in adults. Hiroshima Daigaku Shigaku Zasshi. 1988;20:273-86.
• 8. Yildiz S, Dogan B. Self reported dental health attitudes and behaviour of dental students in Turkey. Eur J Dent. 2011;5:253-9.
• 9. Bertolami CN. Rationalizing the dental curriculum in light of current disease prevalence and patient demand for treatment: form vs. content. J Dent Edu. 2001;65:725-35.
• 10. Barrieshi-Nusair K, Alomari Q, Said K. Dental health attitudes and behaviour among dental students in Jordan. Community Dent Health. 2006;23:147-51.
• 11. Dagli RJ, Tadakamadla S, Dhanni C, Duraiswamy P, Kulkarni S. Self reported dental health attitude and behavior of dental students in India. J Oral Sci. 2008;50:267-72.
• 12. Stålnacke K, Söderfeldt B, Sjödin B. Compliance in use of electric toothbrushes. Acta Odontol Scand. 1995;53:17-9.
• 13. Wang Y, Jiang L. Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) related to brushing teeth with powered toothbrush among doctors: a cross-sectional study. Res Square. 2020;1:1-18.
• 14. Farsi J, Farghaly M, Farsi N. Oral health knowledge, attitude and behaviour among Saudi school students in Jeddah city. J Dent. 2004;32:47-53.
• 15. Peltzer K, Pengpid S. Dental health status and oral health behavior among university students from five ASEAN countries. Nagoya J Med Sci. 2017;79:123-33.
• 16. Sicilia A, Arregui I, Gallego M, Cabezas B, Cuesta S. A systematic review of powered vs. manual toothbrushes in periodontal cause‐related therapy. J Clin Periodontol. 2002;29:39-54.
• 17. Robinson P, Deacon SA, Deery C, Heanue M, Walmsley AD, Worthington HV, Worthington HV, Glenny AM, Shaw WC. Manual versus powered toothbrushing for oral health. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005;8:CD002281.
• 18. Slot DE, Valkenburg C, Van der Weijden G. Mechanical plaque removal of periodontal maintenance patients: A systematic review and network meta‐analysis. J Clinical Periodontol. 2020;47:107-24.
• 19. Sanz M, Herrera D, Kebschull M, Chapple I, Jepsen S, Berglundh T, Sculean A, Tonetti MS, EFP Workshop Participants and Methodological Consultants. Treatment of Stage I-III periodontitis-The EFP S3 level clinical practice guideline. J Clin Periodontol. 2020;47:4-60.
• 20. Pedrazzi V, Sato S, de Mattos MdGC, Lara EHG, Panzeri H. Tongue‐cleaning methods: a comparative clinical trial employing a toothbrush and a tongue scraper. J Periodontol. 2004;75:1009-12.
• 21. Zhu L, Petersen PE, Wang H-Y, Bian J-Y, Zhang B-X. Oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of children and adolescents in China. Int Dent J. 2003;53:289-98.
• 22. Benjamin SN, Gathece LW, Wagaiyu EG. Knowledge, attitude and use of mouthwash among dental and medical students of the University of Nairobi. Int J Dent Oral Health. 2016;2:1-6.
• 23. Mensi M, Scotti E, Sordillo A, Agosti R, Calza S. Plaque disclosing agent as a guide for professional biofilm removal: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Int J Dent Hyg. 2020;18:285-94.
• 24. Chounchaisithi N, Santiwong B, Sutthavong S, Asvanit P. Use of a disclosed plaque visualization technique improved the self-performed, tooth brushing ability of primary schoolchildren. J Med Assoc Thailand. 2014;97:S88-95.
• 25. Peng Y, Wu R, Qu W, Wu W, Chen J, Fang J, Chen Y, Farella M, Mei L. Effect of visual method vs plaque disclosure in enhancing oral hygiene in adolescents and young adults: a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2014;145:280-6.