Clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices of adolescents in Nigeria

Abstract

Objectives: The institution of appropriate oral health promotion programs targeted at adolescents in schools in developing countries requires baseline information on their oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices as well as associated factors influencing it, which are unknown. This study assessed clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices of adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods: Two-thousand and ninety-seven students aged 12–18 years were recruited from 30 randomly selected secondary schools in a cross-sectional study conducted in Ibadan, Nigeria. Data were obtained through a questionnaire on oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices, and sociodemographic characteristics. Oral examination was conducted to assess the clinical oral condition of the adolescents. Data were analyzed with SPSS. The higher the percentage scores, the better the oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices, and overall awareness of oral health. Results: The oral health knowledge score ranged from 0% to 60%; mean oral health knowledge score was 15.1% (±6.6%). The oral health attitude score ranged from 0% to 91.3%; mean oral health attitude score was 44.5% (±14.3%). The oral health practices score ranged from 0% to 88.9%, and mean oral health practices score was 42.5% (±13.8%). The mean oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices score was 43.8% (±11.4%). A total of 1537 (73.3%) participants had unhealthy periodontium and 98 (4.7%) had dental caries. Students who were 12–15 years (odds ratio = 1.7, 95% confidence interval = 1.4–2.0, p < 0.001), females (odds ratio = 1.2, 95% confidence interval = 1.0–1.5, p = 0.024), offspring of skilled workers (odds ratio = 1.5, 95% confidence interval = 1.1–2.0, p = 0.010), previously educated about oral health (odds ratio = 1.3, 95% confidence interval = 1.0–1.7, p = 0.023), consulted the dentist (odds ratio = 1.9, 95% confidence interval = 1.2–3.1, p = 0.009), or had unhealthy periodontal condition (odds ratio = 1.2, 95% confidence interval = 1.0–1.5, p = 0.042) were more likely to have higher oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices scores or awareness than others. Conclusion: Better knowledge, attitude, and practices score was associated with younger age group, higher occupational class, previous oral health education, dental consultation, and having unhealthy periodontal condition.

“Oral health as an important milieu for social and mental health”: Perspectives of adolescents emerging from a qualitative study

“…The adolescents also desired oral health education to know more about the teeth and self-oral care. This reflects the level of oral health knowledge in the populace, which had been described previously as sub-optimal in this environment [ 3 , 21 ]. In addition, the students also had this premonition when they received the letter of invitation for the study as it is the major reason why many of them were happy on reading the information in the letter.…”

“…Dental treatment was a major self-perceived oral health need mentioned by the adolescents. This may not be unexpected as high unmet dental needs among adolescents in the city have been reported [ 3 , 26 ]. and may partly account for this.…”

“…The two most common oral diseases globally, dental caries and periodontal disease, represent a high cause of unmet dental needs among adolescents in Nigeria [ 1 , 2 ]. The prevalence of dental caries has been reported to be as low as 4.7%; however, the prevalence of untreated dental caries among the studied adolescents in Nigeria has been reported to be as high as 100% [ 3 ], while that of periodontal diseases was 73.3% [ 3 ]. Untreated dental conditions could further worsen the overall health of adolescents who are also at risk of other health issues, including mental, sexual, and reproductive health issues [ 4 – 7 ].…”

Impact of oral hygiene habits on oral health-related quality of life of in-school adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria

“…Although oral practices such as smoking, diet, and utilization of dental services among young adults have been associated with OHRQoL ( 14 ), very little is known about how oral hygiene habits influence OHRQoL of adolescents who are in the transition period to adulthood. This becomes important as recent evidence has shown that poor oral health, especially periodontal diseases, exists among adolescents ( 15 ), which necessitates the promotion of good oral hygiene among them especially in schools where many of them could be found ( 16 ). The school has been advocated as a valuable avenue to further teach children and adolescents about maintaining good oral hygiene through the health-promoting schools initiative ( 17 ).…”

Self-reported and clinically evident gingival bleeding and impact on oral health-related quality of life in young adolescents: a comparative study

“…However, it remains uncertain if this is the case among adolescents in Nigeria. This becomes important in view of the high prevalence of this condition among adolescents and the fact that this particular population exhibit poor oral healthseeking behavior 8,9 . Although this is an obvious pointer for the need to promote oral health among adolescents in the country, there is, however, a paucity of information relating to the burden of this condition with regards to initiating a suitable planning process for interventions to address this public health problem.…”