An Assessment of Oral Health Status and Dental Plaque of Non-Dental School Students in Turkey

摘要

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyse the oral health status, and dental plaque with that of non-dental students. Methods: 308 university students were included in this study (238 females and 70 males). A questionnaire was used to collect information on oral hygiene habits and self-reported perception of oral health status of the students. Dental caries status was evaluated using the World Health Organization caries diagnostic criteria for decayed, missing, and filled teeth and surface. For the evaluation of plaque status, Silness&L?e plaque index was utilized. Besides these, material of restorations worn by the students were recorded and clinically evaluated. Results: It was observed that all the students performed oral care, 92.3% used toothbrush and toothpaste for care, and the frequency of brushing the teeth twice or more a day was 43.3%. The mean DMFT index was 1.54 (±1.60), the mean DMFS index was 7.62 (±7.85) for the students. The mean plaque index of the students was 1.01 (±0.40). DMFT score was lower in females than males, however, these differences were not statistically significant. The relationship between gender and plaque was observed to be significant (p=0.006). Male students had more plaque than the female ones. Conclusions: Although DMFT and plaque indices of the students were relatively low and their perception of oral health was good, they had to be evaluated and informed about oral health status and needs of prosthetic rehabilitation during their education.