The Oral Health Status and Attitudes of Saudi Adolescent Male Students in Albaha Province: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objectives: To explore and examine the oral health status of Saudi adolescent male students aged 12-15 years in Albaha province and evaluating the oral health attitudes of this population. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which random sampling was used. Data was collected at schools of the subjects between November 2017 and February 2018. A clinical examination was carried out to evaluate the presence of tooth decay, plaque and gingival bleeding. Then a face-to-face interviews with the study participants were employed to measure their oral health attitudes using a pre-designed questionnaire. SPSS® version 20.0 was used to conduct the data analysis. Results: Two hundred and forty-nine Saudi adolescent male students from three different territories in Albaha province were recruited. The rate of dental caries, plaque and gingival bleeding was determined to be high (76%, 94% and 86%, respectively). A 73% of the adolescents were seen to hold a moderate attitude towards the preservation of their oral health. Only 40% of the participants visited the dentist regularly and just 16% of the children reported brushing their teeth twice daily. Conclusion: The oral health status of the studied population was poor. Moderately positive oral health attitudes were demonstrated overall. Further research into the implementation of oral health-based educational and preventive strategies is urgently required to advance the oral health status and practices of Albaha province community members.

Access to Dental-Care Services in Jazan, Saudi Arabia: A Scoping Review

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“…One-third of the children visit a dentist only when they have pain [36]. Among schoolchildren, factors that led to not using dental services included parental attitudes and anxiety, including “lack of time” and “logistic problems” [25, 35].…”

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