Correlation of Caries Prevalence, Oral Health Behavior and Sweets Nutritional Habits among 10 to 19-Year-Old Cluj-Napoca Romanian Adolescents

Cosmin Tudoroniu, Monica Popa, Simona Maria Iacob, Anca Lucia Pop and Bogdana Adriana Năsui
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Cosmin Tudoroniu: Department of Community Health, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Louis Pasteur Street, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Monica Popa: Department of Community Health, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Louis Pasteur Street, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Simona Maria Iacob: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, 4 Louis Pasteur Street, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Anca Lucia Pop: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Food Safety, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Traian Vuia Street, 020945 Bucharest, Romania
Bogdana Adriana Năsui: Department of Community Health, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Louis Pasteur Street, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-12

Abstract: Background and objectives : The primary oral disease during adolescence is dental caries. Less is known about the caries prevalence, oral health behavior, and sweets nutritional habits in Romanian adolescents. The objective of this study was to assess the actual caries prevalence among Romanian adolescents in a representative area of Romania, Cluj, and to correlate with oral hygiene behaviors and dietary sugary foods intake. Materials and methods : We have done a cross-sectional study of 650 adolescents aged 10 to 19-years-old (average age 15.3 ± 2.8). We performed the oral dental examination according to the WHO methodology, calculated the number of decayed, missing (due to caries), and filled teeth (DMFT index), assessed the oral hygiene and dietary behaviors using a two-section valid questionnaire and statistically analyzed the interrelation between DMFT, oral hygiene and eating behaviors by multivariate statistical analysis. Results : (a) The caries prevalence in the adolescent population enrolled in the study was 95.5%; (b) the mean DMFT was 3.13 ± 2.0, without significant differences between the urban and rural adolescents ( p = 0.253); lower in females than males ( p < 0.050), (c) more than one third (33.7%, n = 219) of teenagers are seldom or never brush their teeth in the evening; (c) 40.6% of adolescents are missing the regular annual dental check-ups leading to an increased DMFT as shown in the multivariate analysis ( p = 0.038); and (d) there is an increased prevalence of caries with age ( p = 0.020), and with sugary sweetened beverages consumption ( p = 0.028). Conclusions : Our study evidenced a persistent high caries prevalence in Romanian teenagers. Their dietary habits and irregular dental check-up were associated with the occurrence of dental conditions.

Keywords: dental health; adolescents; diet; oral health behaviors; DMFT (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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