Evaluation of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Among Dentistry Students

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is an individual's self-perception of how personal oral health affects one's quality of life and general health. This local study aimed to enlighten the relationship between self-rated oral health, oral health-related quality of life, and oral health self-care behaviors among dental university students. METHODS: A questionnaire was mailed to all participants (n=380), including the Turkish version of 14-item OHIP concerning self-reported oral problems, and oral hygiene habits. The responses to OHIP-14 were chosen among multiple choices, each one response scoring between 0 and 4 points. Self-reported oral problems like decayed teeth, the need for extractions, bleeding gums, dental calculus, malocclusions were evaluated according to their presence or absence. Students were also asked to state daily oral care habits such as usage of dental floss or interdental brush. RESULTS: The highest mean values found in the study, were related to physical pain and psychological discomfort domains of OHIP-14 with the mean values ranging from 1.19 to 0.93. Tooth decay (46.8%) and dental calculus (37.8%) were the most prevalent self-reported dental problems followed by malocclusion (32.1%), and need for extractions for several reasons (23.1%). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results of our study showed that dental care students were highly knowledgeable and aware about oral care in proportion to the duration of training. Effective dental practice and education also increases the awareness of oral health habits of dental students and affects the quality of life positively.

Keywords

• awareness
• dental students
• education
• oral health
• quality of life