CORRELATION AMONG ORAL HEALTH LITERACY AND ORAL HEALTH BEHAVIOR OF DENTAL SERVICE RECIPIENTS AT HUAIPHUENG HOSPITAL, KALASIN PROVINCE

Abstract

A cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to determine the correlation among oral health literacy and oral health behavior of dental service recipients at Huaipheng hospital, kalasin province. The samples of 320 dental service recipients at Huaiphueng hospital was age between 15-60 years old. The Data were collected the questionnaire including of oral health behavior and oral health literacy which was collected between February-April 2023. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and the correlation among oral health literacy and oral health behavior were analyzed by chi-square.

The results showed that majority of the samples brushing their teeth regularly at least twice a day was 72.19%, and floosing was 19.69%. In terms of oral health literacy, the average score was 25.44±6.73, which the most of them were a very good level at 30.63%. Dicision skill of the oral health literacy was 76.75%, and Media literacy was 60.33%. Oral health literacy was correlated with toothbrushing (p-value < 0.001) and flossing (p-value < 0.001).

Therefore, public health personnel should organize activities to promote oral health literacy in order to have good oral health behavior which leads to good oral health and better quality of life.