Association Between Oral and General Hygiene Behaviours Among Iranian Adolescents

PURPOSE: To assess the association between oral and general hygiene behaviours in 12-year-old Iranians and the impact of sociodemographic and educational factors on the association.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A representative random sample of 550 12-year-old Iranian adolescents from two deprived tribes answered a 41-item questionnaire on sociodemographic background, education and oral and general hygiene behaviours. The association between tooth cleaning frequency and other study outcome variables were tested using binary logistic regression. The sex differences in the study outcome variables were investigated using chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests.

RESULTS: The frequency of tooth cleaning was significantly associated with a general hygiene behaviour: frequency of taking a bath (OR 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3, 0.7). This association remained significant when sociodemographic factors and educational factors were added to the model both separately (P < 0.001) and together (P < 0.001). Girls were significantly more likely than boys to clean their teeth once or more times a day (OR 2.4; 95% CI: 1.7, 3.4).

CONCLUSION: Oral and a general hygiene behaviour were strongly associated. Oral, general and environmental hygiene programmes should use integrated approaches.