Abstract

Background: Considering the increasing usage of dietary supplements by the general population, knowledgeable dental practitioners should be able to guide patients concerning the judicial use, efficacy, adverse effects and potential drug interactions of these products. The aim of this study was to determine usage, knowledge, and attitudes related to dietary supplements in a group of Canadian dental students. Methods: A total of 105 dental students completed a questionnaire consisting of three parts; Demographics and lifestyle; Usage and opinions concerning dietary supplements; and Knowledge concerning micronutrients and deficiency. Results: Multivitamins and protein powder were most commonly consumed as individual supplements, followed by vitamin C and calcium. Based on the Poisson Regression conducted, there were statistically significant differences in the knowledge of micronutrients between the students of first year and second year (p= 0.0030), third year (p=0.0060) as well as the fourth year (p=0.0190). However, there were no statistically significant differences in the knowledge of micronutrients between the students who consumed dietary supplements and those who did not (p=0.070). Conclusion: Although dental students at the University of Saskatchewan consume a large number of dietary supplements, knowledge regarding the effects micronutrients have on the body, appeared to be inadequate. This highlights the need to increase content concerning nutrition and dietary supplements within the dental curriculum with the goal of producing well informed oral health personnel, who will be in a better position to effectively counsel patients on diet and nutrition with regards to their oral health.

Highlights

  • A well-balanced diet is essential for the maintenance of overall health and chronic disease prevention and plays a key role in proper dentofacial development [1,2,3].The effect of a poor diet on tooth structures is evident in that once teeth have erupted, frequent ingestion of sucrose-containing products could lead to the initiation and progression of dental caries [4]

  • The aim of this study was to determine usage, knowledge, and attitudes related to dietary supplements in a group of Canadian dental students

  • Knowledgeable healthcare practitioners, including dentists and hygienists, will be able to guide their patients regarding the judicial use of dietary supplements, advising them on the efficacy and possible adverse effects and drug interactions of some of these products [28][29]. The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine usage, knowledge, and attitudes related to dietary supplements in a group of Canadian dental students

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Summary

Introduction

A well-balanced diet is essential for the maintenance of overall health and chronic disease prevention and plays a key role in proper dentofacial development [1,2,3]. The effect of a poor diet on tooth structures is evident in that once teeth have erupted, frequent ingestion of sucrose-containing products could lead to the initiation and progression of dental caries [4]. The effect of nutrition and dietary supplementation on another common oral malady, chronic periodontal disease, is not as clearly defined. An increasing body of evidence from dietary intervention studies has investigated the effect of several macro and micronutrients on the health of the periodontium and on attenuating the disease process [7,8,9,10]

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