Oral health behaviours according to demographic characteristics in Korean adolescents: a national representative sample

Abstract

Objectives: To provide information on how to teach correct oral health behaviour to youths and to develop programmes to that end, this study examined the oral health behaviour and demographic characteristics of adolescents. Methods: The raw data of 'The Third 2007 Youth Health Behavior Online Survey' carried out by the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention were analysed. Independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and chi-squared analyses were used to assess the relationships between oral health behaviours and demographic characteristics. Results: The oral health behaviour of the adolescents who were investigated differed significantly depending on their demographic characteristics (P < 0.001). Tooth brushing frequency differed significantly depending on gender and student grade (P < 0.001) and the frequency of visits to a dental clinic differed depending on the gender, student grade, type of residential area (urban/rural), and type of school (middle or high) (P < 0.001). School grade, type of residential area, and type of school also affected the likelihood of receiving preventive dental treatment (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Adolescents who were in lower grades, female, and lived in large urban communities visited dental clinics more frequently and received more preventive dental treatment than adolescents who were in higher grades, male and resided in small urban and rural areas. These results highlight the need for the further development and dissemination of oral health programmes.