Determinants of dental health status and dental health behavior among Sana'a University students, Yemen

Abstract

To evaluate the dental health status and toothbrushing behavior among Sana'a University students, and to explore any associations with different factors. In this cross-sectional study, the dental health of 360 students from the dental, medical, and literature faculties (120 each) at Sana'a University were examined using the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. Data regarding study field, grade, toothbrushing behavior, parents' education, and smoking and khat chewing habits were recorded. Nearly 76% of students (n=273) reported regularly brushing their teeth. Excluding fathers' education levels and khat chewing, other factors (faculty, grade, sex, mothers' education, and smoking) were significant independent predictors for this behavior. The overall mean DMFT score (±standard deviation) was 4.13±3.1, and was found to be adversely influenced by smoking, which explained only 1.1% of the variance. Toothbrushing, sex, and smoking were significant independent predictors for the decay score, and explained 10.6% of its variance. Khat chewing was found to be adversely associated with the missing score, with an influence of only 2.9%. The filling score was found to be positively associated with toothbrushing and study grade, which together had an influence of 10%. The dental health and toothbrushing behaviors of Sana'a University students are unsatisfactory, and influenced unequally by different factors.