Correlation between dental health maintenance behavior with Dental Caries Status (DMF-T)

Abstract

Background: The maintenance of oral and dental health is closely related to the people’s behavior. Behavior or habits that may influence the development of dental caries is the eating habits as well as oral hygiene such as brushing the teeth regularly and adequately. Dental caries status is a condition that describes a person's experience of dental caries which is calculated by the index DMF-T.Objective: The study aims to determine the relationship between the behavior or habit of maintaining the teeth and mouth with dental caries status of communities in Indonesia.Methods: It was an observational study with cross-sectional study design. The samples were household members aged ≥ 15 years with the number of 173,828 people. Data were collected by interview and examination of the teeth and mouth.Results: The result showed that the respondents with dental caries more than the respondent without dental caries (92.60%). There was a significant relationship between hygienic behavior with dental caries status (P = 0.004; OR = 1.426; 95% CI = 1.123-2.810). However, there was no significant relationship of behaviors/habits of eating fruits and vegetables with dental caries status (P = 0.145; OR = 1.107; 95% CI = 0.966-1.270). But, there was a significant relationship between habitual physical activity with dental caries status (P = 0.000; OR = 1.443; 95% CI = 1.350-1.543).Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between physical activity and hygiene behavior with dental health maintenance related to dental caries status. However, the behavior of eating fruits and vegetables has no significant relationship with dental caries status.Â