The effect of proper oral hygiene habits on oral cavity health

摘要

Background . The condition of oral health among Polish patients is poor. The number of edentulous patients or those requiring major surgical procedures is growing. Improper health habits may affect oral hygiene. Objectives . The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of tooth brushing and visiting dentist to see if there are any pathological changes in the oral cavity. Material and Methods . Hundred and sixty-three patients underwent dental examinations comprised of the following elements: intraoral and extraoral examination, radiographs and a questionnaire about daily habits. Results . Patients brushing teeth 3 times a day were mostly put in class 0–2 CPITN. API > 75% occurred most frequently in irregular teeth brushing (85%, p = 0.07). CPITN index from 0 to 2 was found mostly in patients attending the dentist once a year or more frequently (80 vs 64 vs 50%, p = 0.014). API index > 70% was significantly more common in patients visiting dentist irregularly (69 vs 55 vs 29%, p < 0.001). Most residual roots were also reported in patients who do not regularly brush their teeth (33%). Those patients have more frequent instances oral diseases requiring surgical treatment and suffer a greater risk of odontogenic inflammatory foci. Conclusion . Irregular follow-up visits and irregular tooth brushing lead to the deterioration of oral health status and can enhance the risk of the necessity of surgical treatment.