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. 2024 Jun;43(2):61-67.

Oral Health Knowledge and Oral Hygiene Habits in a Sample of 12-Year-Old Hispanics: A Cross-sectional Study

Milagros J Toro  1 , Sona Rivas-Tumanyan  1 , Margarita Murillo  1 , Luis Orraca  1 , Bayardo Garcia-Godoy  1 , Ana K Bencosme  1 , Augusto R Elias-Boneta  1
Affiliations

Oral Health Knowledge and Oral Hygiene Habits in a Sample of 12-Year-Old Hispanics: A Cross-sectional Study

Milagros J Toro et al. P R Health Sci J. 2024 Jun.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: To explore the association between hygiene knowledge and habits and gingivitis in Puerto Rican school children.

Methods: Questionnaires on oral health knowledge and hygiene habits were provided to almost half of the 12-year-olds who participated in an island-wide cross-sectional oral health study. The evaluations included gingival examinations in 2 quadrants. Odds ratios (ORs) (with 95% CIs) were computed using logistic regression models and oral health-related knowledge and hygiene habits to gingivitis.

Results: Of the 823 participants who completed the questionnaire 53.43% were female, and 81% had gingivitis. Most reported having received instructions on brushing (98%), flossing (89.5%), and using mouthwash (90%). The majority (75%) rated their gums as healthy, and 44.68% agreed that oral health affects general health. Nearly half (44%) reported brushing their teeth at least 2 times a day, and 80.25%, flossing daily. In multivariate analysis, not having been instructed on how to brush was related to greater odds of having gingivitis (OR: 7.32; 95% CI: 1.5-35.67). Flossing more than once a day was associated with half the odds of gingivitis (OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.29-0.88).

Conclusion: The children had knowledge of oral hygiene methods but were mostly unaware that gingival health could affect systemic health. Fewer than half reported brushing 2 or more times a day. Not having been instructed on how to brush was associated with higher odds of gingivitis.

Objetivos:: Explorar la asociación entre conocimientos y hábitos de higiene y gingivitis en escolares puertorriqueños.

Métodos:: Se proporcionaron cuestionarios sobre conocimientos de salud bucal y hábitos de higiene a casi la mitad de los niños de 12 años participantes de un estudio transversal de salud bucal en toda la isla. Las evaluaciones incluyeron exámenes gingivales en dos cuadrantes. Se calculó la razón de posibilidades (RP) (IC del 95%) mediante modelos de regresión logística, relacionando el conocimiento y los hábitos de higiene bucal con la gingivitis.

Resultados:: De los 823 participantes que completaron el cuestionario, 53.43% eran mujeres y 81% tenían gingivitis. La mayoría informó haber recibido instrucciones sobre cepillado (98%), uso del hilo dental (89.5%) y enjuague bucal (90%). La mayoría (75%) calificó sus encías como saludables y el 44.68% coincidió en que la salud bucal afecta la salud general. Casi la mitad (44%) informó cepillarse los dientes ≥ dos veces al día y el 80.25% usar hilo dental diariamente. En el análisis multivariado, no haber recibido instrucciones sobre cómo cepillarse se relacionó con mayores probabilidades de tener gingivitis (RP:7.32; IC 95%: 1.5-35.67). Usar hilo dental más de una vez diariamente se asoció con la mitad de las probabilidades de gingivitis (RP:0.50; IC del 95%: 0.29-0.88).

Conclusiones:: Los niños tenían conocimiento de métodos de higiene bucal, pero la mayoría desconocían que la salud gingival podría afectar la salud general. Casi la mitad informó cepillarse ≥ 2 veces al día. No haber recibido instrucciones sobre cepillado se asoció con mayores probabilidades de gingivitis.

Keywords: Bleeding on probing; Gingivitis; Oral health knowledge; Oral hygiene.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

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