Knowledge and Practice of Preventive Measures for Oral Health Care among Male Intermediate Schoolchildren in Abha, Saudi Arabia

Saad Masood Al-Qahtani, Pervez Abdul Razak and Siraj DAA Khan
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Saad Masood Al-Qahtani: Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Najran University, Najran 11001, Saudi Arabia
Pervez Abdul Razak: Faculty of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, University of Georgia, Tbilisi 0171, Georgia
Siraj DAA Khan: Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Najran University, Najran 11001, Saudi Arabia

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: The aims of this study were to evaluate oral health knowledge and assess the practice of preventive measures for oral health care among intermediate schoolchildren in Abha, Saudi Arabia. Information about oral health was collected through a questionnaire containing closed-ended questions, which was distributed to children of six randomly selected intermediate schools. Most (82.3%) of the schoolchildren were aware that good oral health is important for general health. The priority for oral health information was given to dentists (31.6%), whereas teachers were given the least priority (19.1%). About half (53.5%) of the schoolchildren reported that sweets are the cause of dental caries, and 47.1% of them related pain with dental caries. More than half (58.8%) took sweets between meals. Most of them (69.6%) visited a dentist because of pain. Two-thirds (66.9%) of the children did not brush their teeth daily, and most (78%) did not use dental floss. A large number (62.7%) of the schoolchildren stated that rinsing with water after each meal is the best way to keep their gums healthy. For boys in intermediate schools, properly designed oral health educational programs should be implemented to improve their knowledge and behavior toward oral health.

Keywords: oral health; schoolchildren; knowledge; practice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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