The oral health behavior and oral health status of grade six primary school students in Surin province

Abstract

       The objective of this study was to investigate oral health status, oral health behaviors and relationships between oral health status and oral health behaviors of grade six primary school students in Surin province.  Data were collected from June to July 2015. This cross sectional survey was conducted by using oral examination forms and questionnaires regarding oral health behaviors. The samples comprised 4,605 students. Chi-square test was used to analyze the statistical association.

       The study showed that 51.1% of samples was male; prevalence of dental caries was 62.3%, mean DMFT was 1.9 teeth per person (S.D.=2.17) and  30.8% of samples had gingivitis, For oral health behaviors, it showed that 65.8% of students brushed before bed, 62.6% of students brushed after lunch, 33.0% of students drank carbonated soft drink, 41.9% of students drank syrup and 79.6% of students had snacks/sugar-containing beverages between meal. Chi- square tests presented that students who didn’t brush before bed every day and after lunch had more dental caries (P<0.001and P<0.001 respectively) and the students who didn’t brush before bed every day and after lunch had more gingivitis (P<0.001and P<0.001 respectively). The association amongst the students who had carbonated soft drink more than 4-7 days/week, everyday brushed before bed and brushed after lunch was found (P<0.001and P<0.001 respectively). The pupils who had greater amount of confectionery had more caries and gingivitis than those who had less (P<0.001and P<0.001 respectively). The school children who regularly drank carbonated soft drink and syrup had more gingivitis than who didn’t drink (p<0.001 and p<0.001 respectively) and the school children who received oral health service had more caries than those who didn’t (p<0.001).