The relationship between dental health behavior, oral hygiene and gingival status of dental students in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of knowledge acquired in preventive aspects of dental education on dental students’ own health attitudes, oral hygiene and gingival status in the United Arab Emirates.Methods: To compare the self-reported oral health behavior of first year dental students in the University of Sharjah with their actual oral hygiene and gingival conditions, 93 volunteers who participated in the study completed the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) questionnaire. Subsequently a clinical examination for their Plaque Scores (Modified Quigley Hein Plaque Index) and Gingival Bleeding Index was performed by a calibrated dentist.Results: 29% of the participants reported bleeding gums; 83% were concerned by the color of their gums while 63% reported that it was impossible to prevent gum disease with brushing alone; and only 10% noticed some sticky white deposits on their teeth. However, approximately 92% were not in agreement that they would have false teeth when they grew older. 56% mentioned that they used dental floss regularly and 86% brushed twice daily or more. Male students had higher bleeding and plaque scores than female students. There appeared to be a significant relationship between plaque scores and HU-DBI responses; in addition to the significant relationship noted between recorded bleeding percentages and HU-DBI responses.Conclusion: Female students have shown better dental care behavior than male students. The dental students with better self-reported oral health attitudes were expected to have lower plaque scores but instead had moderate plaque and gingival bleeding scores. This indicates the need for more emphasis on preventive measures in oral health education. (Eur J Dent 2013;7:22-27)

Oral Health Literacy and Related Factors among Pregnant Women Referring to Health Government Institute in Kerman, Iran

“…It has been shown that people with regular dental attendance perform more prevention measures, including the use of dental floss and toothbrushes. The reason for this is that oral hygiene-induced behaviors become an important part of the training received by the patient during regular dental attendance [33,34].…”

Comparison of Oral Hygiene Attitudes, Awareness and Periodontal Parameters of Undergraduate Dental Students

“…20 An adequate plaque control will result in a reduction in PI. In this study the percentage of students brushing twice a day varied between 58.9% and 72.9% and remained below the students in Lithuania (% 92) 21 , India (84.6%) 22 and United Arab Emirates (86%) 14 but similar in Turkey (74%). 23 Although interdental cleaning frequency that performed everyday changed between grades, 33.5% -79.1% of students had knowledge regarding interdental aids.…”

Development of an Arabic Version of the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory: Cross-cultural Adaptation, Reliability, and Validity

“…The vast majority of previous research using the HU-DBI questionnaire in Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Sudan, UAE, etc.) used the questionnaire in its English form [7][8][9][10]. Only one recent study used an Arabic version translated from English [8].…”

“…The HU-DBI has been utilized in several Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Sudan, UAE), but the majority of studies have used the English version [7][8][9][10]. Although one recent study has used an Arabic translation from English [8], the translation does not appear to have been subjected to adequate validity testing according to recommended guidelines [11,12].…”