Abstract

ALMERICH-SILLA, José Manuel  and  MONTIEL-COMPANY, José María. Survey on oral hygiene habits within the adolescent population of the Valencian Community, Spain (2004). RCOE [online]. 2006, vol.11, n.2, pp.195-201. ISSN 1138-123X.

Introduction: (basis and objective): Simultaneously to the oral health survey of the Valencian Community 2004, interviews with adolescents on oral health habits were carried out during 2004 to evaluate their evolution between 1998 and 2004 (an initial study was carried out in 1998).  Patients and Method: A questionnaire was answered by 879 schoolchildren from schools selected at random from the whole of the Valencian Autonomous Region of Spain. The sample comprised 478 12 year-old scholars and 401 of 15-16 years of age.  Results: Daily brushing more than once a day is carried out by 52.3% of the children and once a day by 27.3%. 3% never brush and 15.7% brush occasionally. 51.4% had visited the dentist within the previous 6 months, 20.1% between 6 months and one year before and 7.6% had never visited a dentist. 56.7% has carried out fluoride mouthwashes during two or more school years.  Conclusion:The hygienic habits of the Valencian schoolchildren between 12 and 15-16 year-olds have improved lightly in the period 1998-2004, mainly due to the increase in the frequency of tooth brushing, the continuation during more extended periods of fluoride mouthwashes in the school, and the increase in visits to the dentist. The 15-16 year-old girls present better indicators of dental hygiene than the boys, while in the 12 year-olds there were no differences between sexes. The knowledge of the scholars regarding the prevention of dental cavities remains at similar levels to those observed in 1998.

Keywords : Dental epidemiology; Oral health; Oral health behaviour; Adolescent; Tooth-brushing; Fluoride.

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