Oral hygiene and gingival health in Danish dental students and faculty

Abstract

This survey attempted to determine the status of oral cleanliness and gingival health in 150 dental students and 101 faculty members in a dental school. Without advance notice, plaque deposits were scored, using the Plaque Index System, and gingival health was determined using the criteria of the Gingival Index System. The 1st-year students had the poorest hygiene and gingival health. An improvement (P less than 0.01) was noted in the 2nd-year students who were still not in clinical training but had completed a course in preventive dentistry including oral hygiene techniques. Further improvement (P less than 0.05) was found in students participating in the clinical courses (3rd and 4th years). However, some deterioration of both hygiene and gingival status occurred in the senior 5th year. Among the faculty, the best oral hygiene and gingival state were found in members of departments in which clinical work centered around patient motivation toward prevention and tooth conservation. The scores for plaque and gingivitis were worse in the departments of oral surgery, dental materials, orthodontics and the basic science departments. Almost all departments and every class showed a few individuals with very poor oral hygiene. It is suggested that regular patient contact influences the personal attitude toward oral hygiene, and that professional activity and emphasis on different aspects of the curriculum may be reflected in the attitude of health professionals toward oral health.

Comparison of new and 3‐month‐old brush heads in the removal of plaque using a powered toothbrush

“…It has been shown that plaque removal is least effective on the approximal and lingual surfaces after manual toothbrushing (Cumming & Loe 1973, Lang et al 1977, Rugg‐Gunn et al 1979). This was confirmed in the present study, with the highest mean percentage plaque removal achieved at the mid‐facial sites and the lowest from the approximal lingual/palatal sites regardless of whether a new or a 3‐month‐old brush head was used.…”

Associations between stress, fatigue, sleep disturbances and dental students’ oral health-related behaviours: Changes throughout academic year

“…Though dental students are constantly educated on preventive dentistry, results indicate that students' oral health improves only after entering clinical training and might deteriorate until graduation. 6 It was shown that an average senior student's oral health was fairly good; however, a number of students with very poor oral hygiene were recorded as well. 6 In an attempt to explain this phenomenon, it is important to consider the fact that the dental study program is one of the most intense study programs requiring an ability to memorize a lot of information as well as the ability to handle emotional stress related to clinical experience.…”

“…6 It was shown that an average senior student's oral health was fairly good; however, a number of students with very poor oral hygiene were recorded as well. 6 In an attempt to explain this phenomenon, it is important to consider the fact that the dental study program is one of the most intense study programs requiring an ability to memorize a lot of information as well as the ability to handle emotional stress related to clinical experience. Individual capability to handle these environmental challenges results in different levels of perceived stress, fatigue or sleep disorders and is likely to influence oral health-related behavior.…”

“…4 Previous studies have shown that knowledge about the etiology of oral diseases as well as an understanding the necessity of maintaining good oral hygiene is an encouragement towards proper oral health-related behaviors and correlates with better oral health status. 5,6 Consequently, a number of studies have been carried out to evaluate the oral health of dental students and oral health-related behaviors. Though dental students are constantly educated on preventive dentistry, results indicate that students' oral health improves only after entering clinical training and might deteriorate until graduation.…”

Efficacy of a Rinse Containing Sea Salt and Lysozyme on Biofilm and Gingival Health in a Group of Young Adults: A Pilot Study

“…However, dental students, in general, incline to have better oral hygiene and are supposedly better motivated than the general population, and consequently any changes in gingival bleeding and plaque inhibition before and after therapy may be assumed to have been slight and hence could have influenced the results. In order to minimize this limitation, the sample was randomly drawn from 1st and 2nd year students who tend to have a poorer oral hygiene than their senior counterparts [19]. …”