Factors Influencing Oral Health Status of Taksin Hospital Personnels

Abstract

Factors Influencing Oral Health Status of Taksin Hospital Personnels

Ungkana Leethochawalit DDS

Swaros Yuyuen DDS

Sumitra Kraipitakun DDS

Supaporn Viriyajirakul DDS

Dental Devision, Taksin Hospital, BMA

Objectives: To study the oral health status and factors associated with oral health status of Taksin Hospital personnels.

Study design: Descriptive study.

Subjects: A total of 275 personnels randomly selected from Taksin Hospital personels who had oral examination during March to April 2009

Methods: The data was collected from oral health status examination and the questionnaire which composed of personnels data and oral health behavior. Oral health status and factors influencing oral health status were analyzed.

Main outcome measures: Oral health status and oral health behavior.

Results: The mean age of the subjects was 37.1 + 10.0 years, 71.3% were female and 28.7% were male, 56.4% had dental caries and 85.8 had gingivitis. Factors significantly influenced dental caries were lower position, lower income, perception of having dental caries, not using dental floss, having food or drink consumption before bedtime brushing, soft drink consumption, and not smoking. Factors significantly influenced gingivitis were lower position, lower education, lower income, not brushing after lunch, brushing only one time per day, not using dental floss, not having food or drink consumption before bedtime brushing, consumption of soft drink and snacks, not smoking and not having visited the dentist in the passing year.

Conclusion: Factors influencing oral health status of both dental caries and gingivitis of Taksin Hospital personnels were lower socioeconomic status and soft drink consumption.

Key words: oral health status, dental caries, gingivitis, oral health behavior

Vajira Med J 2009 ; 54 : 53 - 65