Self-perceived Satisfaction with Dental Appearance and Associated Factors among Secondary School Students in Iringa, Tanzania

Abstract

Introduction: Oral health is not only the absence of oral ailments and dysfunctions but also includes other components that influence a person's social life like satisfaction with one's dental appearance and beauty. This study was done to determine the self-perceived satisfaction with dental appearance and associated factors among secondary school students in Iringa, Tanzania. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done in the Kilolo district of the Iringa region on the southern highlands of Tanzania. It involved students from four private and four government secondary schools. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect information regarding students' perceptions of their teeth and satisfaction with their dental appearance. Data were entered in a computer program SPPS version 23.0 for analysis. Frequency distribution of different variables was generated, the association between variables was assessed by the Chi-square test, the P value was set at P < 0.05. Results: A total of 787 participants were included, of which 410 (52.9%) were female and the male/female ratio was 1:1.1. The age range was 15–21 years (mean 16.64 ± 1.35 years). Only 27% of the students perceived their dental appearance to be good. About 39% of the students were satisfied with their general dental appearance. There was a statistically significant association between students level of perception of their dental appearance and level of satisfaction with dental appearance Conclusion: The level of self-perceived satisfaction with dental appearance was low among the study participants. The students' self-perceived dental appearance influenced their satisfaction with their dental appearance, unlike factors such as age and sex. Self-satisfaction with dental appearance had a significant impact on the social life of the participants.