Oral health assessment among dental students

Abstract

Introduction. Oral health is an important part of general health. Knowledge, beliefs and attitudes that students acquire during dental school can influence their behavior towards not just their own health, but also towards health in their immediate environment. The aim of the study was to assess the level of oral health among dental students of the second and fifth year at the University of East Sarajevo. Material and Methods. Sixty-six students from the Dental Department of the Faculty of Medicine, the University of East Sarajevo were assessed. The study was conducted in 2012. The parameters used to assess oral health were: DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) index and its components, index for the assessment of periodontal tissues (CPITN), and Green?s Vermillion oral hygiene debris index (DI). According to the methodology and criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO) all patients were examined using standard dental diagnostic tools under artificial light on dental chair. Results. Average number of decayed teeth of the second year students was 9.93 while it was 11.44 in the fifth year students. The mean dental caries index was 38.23% and person caries index was 100%. The average value of the debris index was 0.42. Healthy periodontium had 18.2% of students, while in 34.8% of students shallow periodontal pockets were observed. Conclusion. Oral hygiene and periodontal health was satisfactory in dental students. However, high average values of decayed teeth indicated that for better results caries preventive services should be activated earlier, even in school or preschool period.Uvod. Zdravlje usta i zuba je vazan deo opsteg zdravlja coveka. Znanja, shvatanja i stavovi koje student stomatologije stekne tokom studija mogu da uticu na njegovo ponasanje prema sopstvenom zdravlju, ali i na buduce postupke u vezi sa zdravljem ljudi iz najblize okoline. Cilj rada je bio da se proceni nivo oralnog zdravlja studenata druge i pete godine studija stomatologije Univerziteta u Istocnom Sarajevu. Materijal i metode rada. Tokom ispitivanja pregledano je 66 studenata stomatologije Medicinskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Istocnom Sarajevu. Istrazivanje je izvedeno 2012. godine. Parametri korisceni za procenu oralnog zdravlja bili su: indeks prosecnog broja karijesnih, izvadjenih i zuba plombiranih zbog karijesa (KEP) i njemu pripadajuci indeksi; indeks za procenu stanja parodoncijuma (CPITN); i indeks mekih naslaga (IMN) prema Grin-Vermilionu (Green-Vermillion) za procenu stanja oralne higijene. U skladu s metodologijom i kriterijumima Svetske zdravstvene organizacije, svi ispitanici su pregledani standardnim stomatoloskim dijagnostickim sredstvima pri vestackom osvetljenju. Rezultati. Prosecna vrednost karijesa studenata druge godine bila je 9,93, a studenata pete godine 11,44. Srednja vrednost karijesindeksa zuba bila je 38,23%, a karijes- indeksa osoba 100%. Prosecna vrednost IMN bila je 0,42. Zdrav parodoncijum je ustanovljen kod 18,2% studenata, dok su kod 34,8% ispitanika uoceni plitki parodontalni dzepovi. Zakljucak. Stanje oralne higijene studenata stomatologije je zadovoljavajuce, kao i zdravlje parodoncijuma, ali utvrdjene visoke prosecne vrednosti karijesa ukazuju na to da rad preventivne sluzbe treba dodatno aktivirati vec u skolskom, odnosno u predskolskom periodu, kako bi rezultati bili mnogo bolji.