Awareness and Practice of Oral Health Measures in Medina, Saudi Arabia: An Observational Study

Selma A Saadaldina, Elzahraa Eldwakhly, Ahmad A Alnazzawi, Rayan A Alharbi, Bushra K Alghamdi, Osama A Abu Hammad and Mai Soliman
Additional contact information
Selma A Saadaldina: Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
Elzahraa Eldwakhly: Clinical Dental Sciences Department, College of Dentistry, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia
Ahmad A Alnazzawi: College of Dentistry, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Saudi Arabia
Rayan A Alharbi: College of Dentistry, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Saudi Arabia
Bushra K Alghamdi: College of Dentistry, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Saudi Arabia
Osama A Abu Hammad: College of Dentistry, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Saudi Arabia
Mai Soliman: Clinical Dental Sciences Department, College of Dentistry, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-10

Abstract: The aim of this observational study is to investigate the oral health status and practices in the multicultural community of Medina, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed that asked about oral health, dental and periodontal conditions, personal attitudes toward dental care, and smoking habits. Cross tabulation with chi-squared testing was carried out to investigate the association of toothbrush usage and smoking with several variables. Four-hundred and sixty subjects enrolled in the study. The majority of the respondents were students and Saudi males. More than 75% of the participants had neither a family dentist nor dental insurance; 7% were smokers, 84% used a toothbrush, 17% used dental floss and 34% used miswak (a teeth cleaning twig made from the Salvadora persica tree). Some of the individuals complained of tooth sensitivity, halitosis and bleeding gums. The main reason for dental visits was pain, with 23% of the participants having never visited a dentist. Tooth brushing was significantly associated with gender, nationality, occupation, education, marital status, having kids and dental insurance ( p ? 0.05). Tobacco consumption was significantly associated with age, occupation, education level, marital status, having children, having bleeding gingivae and halitosis. Effective dental education programs are needed to improve dental knowledge and awareness in the Medina community.

Keywords: oral health; pain; tooth brushing; oral health related behaviors; social determinants of oral health (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 (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:23:p:9112-:d:457679

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