Stomatologija 2003; 5 (1): 31-36 182 KB

Oral Hygiene Habits and Complaints of Gum Bleeding Among Schoolchildren in Lithuania

Aiste Zaborskyte, Egle Bendoraitiene

Summary

The study was carried out in the framework of the International Health Behavior among School-aged Children (HBSC) Study, conducted by the World Health Organization. A representative group of 5645 schoolchildren aged 11, 13 and 15 years was drawn from overall Lithuania and was surveyed including specific questions on oral hygiene and gum bleeding. The findings of the present survey showed that the oral hygiene was not a priority for Lithuanian schoolchildren. Only 39.7 percent of schoolchildren brushed their teeth twice or more a day (32.0 percent of boys, 47.6 percent of girls, p<0.001; 49.1 percent of schoolchildren from urban areas, 32.3 percent of schoolchildren from rural areas, p<0.001). Over 60 percent of schoolchildren reported that they had never used a dental floss or a mouthwash. The gum bleeding was indicated by more then a half of them (52.3 percent of boys, 59.5 percent of girls, p<0.001; 50.6 percent of schoolchildren from urban areas, 59.8 percent of schoolchildren from rural areas, p<0.001). The further analysis demonstrated a relationship between gum bleeding and poor oral hygiene among schoolchildren.

Key words: children, schoolchildren, health behavior, oral hygiene, gum bleeding.

Address for correspondence: 6 Luksos-Daumanto str., Kaunas, LT-3007, Lithuania.

Received: 01 03 2003

Accepted for publishing: 25 03 2003