Factors Associated with Oral Health Status in Lower Secondary School Students in Nam Phong District, Khon Kaen Province.

Abstract

This research study aims to examine individual data regarding oral healthliteracy, behaviors for preventing dental caries, the average rates of decayed,missing and filled permanent teeth (Decay Missing Filling Tooth index: DMFT), and factors associated with the dental health status of lower secondary school students in Nam Phong District, Khon Kaen Province. The simple random sampling consisted of 237 individuals. Datas were collected through questionnaires and an examination of dental health status. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and relationships were analyzed using the Chi-Square test. The results indicated that the age was an average of 13.73 S.D. 0.95. The most 131 males were 55.30%. The third year and first year students had 35% and 33.80%. Living with parents was 51.10%. In addition, 64.10% received pocket money of 0-50 baht per day (mean 52.85 S.D. 24.51). The oral health literacy showed that 50.20% had a moderate level of knowledge about oral health information (mean 10.55 S.D. 2.27). The 71.70% had skills in accessing, 58.50% understanding, 55.45% interacting, 60.10% decision making, and 54.75% had self-management in practicing dental caries prevention. Most students had a moderate level of caries prevention behavior, 66.70 percent (mean 23.08±3.79). DMFT average at 2.08 teeth per person S.D. 2.73. The Chi-Square tested the relationship between individual data, oral health literacy, and behaviors for preventing dental caries and factors associated with dental health status. The sex was significantly associated with dental health status (p-value 0.026).