A Study on Factors that may affect the Oral Health Status of University Students

Abstract

The present study investigated and analyzed how dietary habits, snack intake behavior, and stress affect the subjective oral health status of university students. Subject data involved oral health status and oral health awareness inquires via survey inquiries and the SPSS 20.0 statistics program. The results of the study are as follows. Snack intake increases when stress increases, and this affects oral health. Furthermore, nutrition labeling awareness increases when stress is lower and dietary habits are better, which affects oral health status. College is a transitional period between adolescence and adulthood, when adequate intake of nutrition and establishing proper dietary habits are important. University students may establish different dietary habits from adolescence due to the sudden change in environment, so by actively using nutrition labels, they can choose foods that fit their oral health status and needs, and the adequate education for filling in the lacking nutrients is important. The oral health awareness and behavior of university students appear to have difference in accordance with the general characteristics of subjects, and oral health education must consider such differences. Because awareness toward oral knowledge and oral education is low, education corresponding to this must be strengthened. The present study investigates the effect of dietary habits, snack intake behavior, and stress on subjective oral health status in order to provide basic data necessary in building programs for increasing preventive oral health management behaviors.