NUTRITIONAL AND ORAL HYGIENE PRACTICES AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE NORTH OF VIETNAM

Nam Khánh Đỗ , Thị Hương Trà Trần , Thị Bích Hạnh Trần

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Abstract

Objective: The study aims to describe the situation of dental care practice among high school students in some schools in the North of Vietnam in 2023. Research method: A cross-sectional study conducted on 680 high school students from grade 10 to grade 12 at some high schools in 2023. Results: Out of 680 students participating in the study, 416 were female students (accounting for 61.2%). The percentage of high school students who eat fast food such as fried chicken and French fries more than 1-2 times a week is quite high (more than 50%). The rate of use of eggs, milk and dairy products accounts for more than 90%. The rate of consumption of fatty, fried, and greasy foods accounted for 75% of the total number of students participating in the study. Research also shows that 89.4% of students have a habit of using a toothbrush to clean their teeth, only 19.5% of students have a habit of using dental floss, 16.5% of students use toothpicks after eating. There were 69.8% of students have the habit of brushing their teeth twice a day, 13.7% of students brush their teeth >2 times/day. Most students have a habit of brushing their teeth before breakfast (76.9%) and at night before going to bed (77.6%). Conclusion: The students in the study have relatively good oral hygiene practices but still need to communicate to raise students' awareness about the habit of using dental cleaning tools, how often and time of brushing teeth.

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References

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