Oral Hygiene Habits and Oral Health Status of Female Adolescents Under State Protection: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Purpose:The aim of this study is to evaluate oral health status and oral hygiene practices of female adolescents under state protection.Subjects and Methods:Fifty-five female participants between the age of 12 and 18 who are under the care of The Child Protection Institution were included in this study. Self-administered questionnaires were used to obtain information regarding knowledge of oral health and habits. Dental caries status was scored according to the criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO), using the indices of Decayed (D), Missing (M), Filled (F), Surfaces (S) (DMFS). In addition, Gingival Index (GI) and Plaque Index (PI) were recorded during periodontal assessment. Data was statistically analyzed by using Oneway analysis of variance, Tukey’s HSD and Student’s t tests.Results:Fourteen children had dental fear and 52.7% of them were not satisfied with their esthetic appearance. Although 78.2% of the children knew that brushing prevents dental caries, only 18 of them were brushing regularly twice per day. Mean DMFS, GI and PI scores were 13.18±5.68, 1.35±0.37 and 1.33±0.45, respectively. Only 20% of the children were using dental floss. There was statistically no significant difference between the DMFS scores of the children in terms of flossing. However, the difference between the mean GI and PI of the same group was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusion:Children under state protection were found to have a reasonable knowledge of the causes of dental caries and gum bleeding. Therefore, adequate management of this positive attitude can significantly improve the oral health of this population.

Oral Hygiene in a Sample of Children/Adolescents Living in Family-Homes from the Province of Milan (Italy): A Pilot Study

“…The plaque index was used to detect oral hygiene. The data stated the validity of their home oral hygiene practice [30]. However, that study did not include any longitudinal follow-up, nor data from a control group.…”

“…In 2017, a cross-sectional study from Turkey (Istanbul) was conducted to assess the state of oral health and oral hygiene practices of adolescents under state protection, including 55 participants aged from 12 to 18 years [30]. The plaque index was used to detect oral hygiene.…”

“Risk assessment for periodontal disease associated tooth loss among rural and urban population of 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and 65-74 years age groups of Barabanki district, Uttar Pradesh, India

“…Females are also found to brush their teeth more regularly and utilize dental services more frequently than men, which might have resulted in less tooth loss among them. [ 15 16 ]…”

Prevalence and associated factors of self‐reported halitosis among institutionalized adolescents: Cross‐sectional study

“…In fact, literature reports poor oral health among adolescents in vulnerable situations, such as homeless, orphans and also under state protection. These conditions include high rates of dental caries, gingivitis, toothache, dissatisfaction with the appearance of teeth and poor knowledge on the prevention of oral diseases 12–14 …”

“…These conditions include high rates of dental caries, gingivitis, toothache, dissatisfaction with the appearance of teeth and poor knowledge on the prevention of oral diseases. [12][13][14] However, the knowledge about the oral health aspects of these adolescents is limited. More specifically, their perceptions about halitosis are not reported in the current literature.…”