Oral Tobacco Use Research Articles

PO-079 Dysregulation of miR-196B in head and neck cancers leads to pleiotropic effects in the tumour cells and CAFs

IntroductionTea is an important agro-industry of India, which contributes immensely to the countries economy. Tea garden population constitutes approximately 1/12th of tea growing state’s population. Poor socio-economic conditions, ignorance due to illiteracy, over-crowded and unhygienic living conditions in the residential colonies make tea garden population vulnerable to various communicable diseases and malnutrition. Hence this study was contemplated with an aim to assess the oral health status, tobacco use and cancer awareness among tea plantation workers (Irula tribes), Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, India.Material and methodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess the tobacco use and cancer awareness among tea plantation workers, Nilgiri Hills.Data was collected using a pretested Questionnaire, which included Demographic data, tobacco habits, its frequency and form. The data collected was analysed using SPSS version15.Results and discussionsResults showed that among 900 study population, showed 57% had no formal education, 34.5% had not visited dentist before. 64.5% had indigenous brushing habits. 52% of oral mucosal lesions and 6% malignant oral tumours were observed. A very high prevalence of periodontal disease, tobacco chewing, deep rooted beliefs and customs regarding dentition and dental treatment was observed in this community. Prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in the study population was due to tobacco usage and lack of awareness regarding the deleterious effects of the products used.ConclusionThe dangers from smoking and chewing tobacco are well documented within the literature but the public’s lack of knowledge of the risks is a concern. Health professionals are encouraged to ensure that the public is made aware of these risks, especially those within high-risk groups.

PO-077 Tobacco use and cancer awareness among irula tribes, nilgiri hills, tamilnadu, india

IntroductionTea is an important agro-industry of India, which contributes immensely to the countries economy. Tea garden population constitutes approximately 1/12th of tea growing state’s population. Poor socio-economic conditions, ignorance due to illiteracy, over-crowded and unhygienic living conditions in the residential colonies make tea garden population vulnerable to various communicable diseases and malnutrition. Hence this study was contemplated with an aim to assess the oral health status, tobacco use and cancer awareness among tea plantation workers (Irula tribes), Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, India.Material and methodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess the tobacco use and cancer awareness among tea plantation workers, Nilgiri Hills.Data was collected using a pretested Questionnaire, which included Demographic data, tobacco habits, its frequency and form. The data collected was analysed using SPSS version15.Results and discussionsResults showed that among 900 study population, showed 57% had no formal education, 34.5% had not visited dentist before. 64.5% had indigenous brushing habits. 52% of oral mucosal lesions and 6% malignant oral tumours were observed. A very high prevalence of periodontal disease, tobacco chewing, deep rooted beliefs and customs regarding dentition and dental treatment was observed in this community. Prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in the study population was due to tobacco usage and lack of awareness regarding the deleterious effects of the products used.ConclusionThe dangers from smoking and chewing tobacco are well documented within the literature but the public’s lack of knowledge of the risks is a concern. Health professionals are encouraged to ensure that the public is made aware of these risks, especially those within high-risk groups.

Epidemiology of Hepatitis C in Pregnancy in North Central Florida: A Reassessment of Risks [10I

INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects 1% - 2.5% of pregnancies. Universal screening is not recommended aside from those with risk factors including among others: intravenous or intranasal drug use, incarceration or those having a sexually transmitted infection. Our purpose was to assess the epidemiology of HCV in North Central Florida. METHODS: IRB approval was obtained for this retrospective descriptive study. Patients were identified through ICD-9 Diagnosis codes for HCV and pregnancy from 2009-2014. Data abstracted from medical records included demographic information, concomitant sexually transmitted infections, tobacco or substance abuse, transfusion history and tattoos. RESULTS: Of 17,081 patients, 275 patients were identified with HCV (prevalence 1.6%). Mean age of those infected was 27.3 years old (range 16 to 49) with 89.1% Caucasian and 7.3% African American. Concomitant infections with Hepatitis B, HIV, chlamydia and herpes simplex occurred in 9%, 0.7%, 16% and 12% of patients, respectively. Most HCV patients smoked tobacco (89%); one third smoked cannabis (34%). A history of intravenous drug use was present in 75% and cocaine use in 37.5%. Although not a classical risk factor for HCV, prescription narcotic use was reported among 2/3 patients whereas 44% took non-prescribed narcotics. A minority of women had exposure to either tattoos 28.5% or blood transfusion 15%. CONCLUSION: We identified prescribed and self-administered oral narcotic medication and tobacco use as additional risks for HCV. We suspect adhering to the current screening recommendations permits cases of HCV to be missed and that more widespread if not universal screening should be considered.

An assessment of oral health status, tobacco use and cancer awareness among tea plantation workers (Irula tribes), Nilgiri Hills, Tamilnadu, India

An assessment of oral health status, tobacco use and cancer awareness among tea plantation workers (Irula tribes), Nilgiri Hills, Tamilnadu, India

The prevalence of oral conditions and tobacco use among dental patients at princess Marina Mental Clinic, Botswana

The prevalence of oral conditions and tobacco use among dental patients at princess Marina Mental Clinic, Botswana

Assessment of cardiovascular risk among adults in a rural area of Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu

Background: Increasing longevity of the world’s population has resulted in a shift in the disease patterns prevalent hitherto. The worst affected are the middle and low- income countries including India. The genetic make-up of Indians render them highly susceptible to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes at a much earlier age with resultant higher mortality rates. Thus, low- cost early detection, and innovative, customized preventive strategies are the need of the hour. Methods: In this cross- sectional study, we have used the WHO/ISH risk prediction charts tailor – made for the SEAR D region, to assess the cardiovascular risk of a rural population aged above 40 years. Data regarding multiple cardiovascular risk factors were collected using a pre- defined and pre-tested questionnaire, from 400 participants, including other variables like BP and anthropometric measurements. The data were entered in Microsoft excel and analysed using SPSS- ver16. Results: We found that 14.5% of the population had more than 10% risk of cardiovascular diseases and 41.5% were in stage I or II hypertension. People who belonged to the class II SES, use of oral tobacco, saturated cooking oils and sedentary lifestyle was found to be associated with high CV risk. However the association of CV risk with other risk factors like smoking and BMI was inconsistent. Conclusions: There is an increasing trend of cardiovascular risk in rural areas of Tamil Nadu and risk factors like higher socio economic class, use of oral tobacco, saturated cooking oils and sedentary occupation were found to be associated with high CV risk.

Molecular basis of oral squamous cell carcinoma in young patients: Is it any different from older patients?

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the commonest subtype of oral cancer, mainly affecting older patients. It used to be a rare disease among individuals younger than 40years, but recently increased incidences in this age group are being reported worldwide. The pathogenesis of OSCC affecting young patients remains controversial, and the well-known etiological factors for oral cancer, tobacco, and alcohol use are believed to play a minor role in the carcinogenesis of the neoplasm, suggesting that the etiology and the molecular basis of OSCC may differ between younger and older patients. Although several molecular markers and chromosomal abnormalities have been demonstrated to differ between both groups, most of the studies have failed to find significant differences. Moreover, divergent results have also been obtained regarding the presence of high-risk human papillomavirus infection in OSCC of young patients. Given these contradictory results and the limited methodological approaches of the majority of the studies, the exact difference between both age groups remains to be fully established. In this review, we evaluate the available data to establish the current evidence that might support the hypothesis that the molecular basis of OSCC in young patients (especially those under 40years) differ from the older patients.

Effect of oral tobacco use and smoking on outcomes of Crohn's disease in India.

Smoking has been linked with adverse outcomes in Crohn's disease (CD); however, it is not known whether oral tobacco (OT) use affects disease outcomes in these patients. The study aimed to assess the association between smoking or OT and outcomes in CD. Retrospective analysis was performed on prospectively maintained records of CD patients from 2004 to 2016. The parameters assessed included disease characteristics at baseline (location, behavior, age at onset, perianal disease, and extraintestinal manifestations), course pattern, and outcomes (surgery, hospitalizations, immunomodulator or biologics use, and steroid requirement). A total of 426 patients were included (mean age: 39.9years; 59.9% men; median follow up: 71months). Forty patients were ever-OT users, and 59 were ever-smokers, ever-use being defined as daily use for at least 2years. OT use was associated with male sex and smoking. Both OT use and smoking had no effect on baseline characteristics, but upper gastrointestinal disease was less common in ever-smokers. Both OT use and smoking did not have any effect on surgery, immunomodulator, and biologic use. Similarly, no association was found between these outcomes and duration, daily, and cumulative exposure to tobacco. Current but not former tobacco use in both smoked (adjusted odds ratio=2.59 [1.22-5.49]) and OT (adjusted odds ratio=2.97 [1.03-8.6]) forms increased risk of hospitalizations. Oral tobacco use and smoking had no significant detrimental effect on disease phenotype or medical and surgical requirements in CD in Indian patients, affirming other non-Caucasian studies that found lack of effect of smoking. However, current tobacco use in any form was associated with hospitalization during follow up.

Understanding personal risk of oropharyngeal cancer: risk-groups for oncogenic oral HPV infection and oropharyngeal cancer

BackgroundIncidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal cancer is increasing. There is interest in identifying healthy individuals most at risk for development of oropharyngeal cancer to inform screening strategies. Patients and methodsAll data are from 2009 to 2014, including 13 089 people ages 20–69 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), oropharyngeal cancer cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER 18) registries (representing ∼28% of the US population), and oropharyngeal cancer mortality from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Primary study outcomes are (i) prevalence of oncogenic HPV DNA in an oral rinse and gargle sample, and (ii) incident oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer. ResultsOncogenic oral HPV DNA is detected in 3.5% of all adults age 20–69 years; however, the lifetime risk of oropharyngeal cancer is low (37 per 10 000). Among men 50–59 years old, 8.1% have an oncogenic oral HPV infection, 2.1% have an oral HPV16 infection, yet only 0.7% will ‘ever’ develop oropharyngeal cancer in their lifetime. Oncogenic oral HPV prevalence was higher in men than women, and increased with number of lifetime oral sexual partners and tobacco use. Men who currently smoked and had ≥5 lifetime oral sexual partners had ‘elevated risk’ (prevalence = 14.9%). Men with only one of these risk factors (i.e. either smoked and had 2–4 partners or did not smoke and had ≥5 partners) had ‘medium risk’ (7.3%). Regardless of what other risk factors participants had, oncogenic oral HPV prevalence was ‘low’ among those with only ≤1 lifetime oral sexual partner (women = 0.7% and men = 1.7%). ConclusionsScreening based upon oncogenic oral HPV detection would be challenging. Most groups have low oncogenic oral HPV prevalence. In addition to the large numbers of individuals who would need to be screened to identify prevalent oncogenic oral HPV, the lifetime risk of developing oropharyngeal caner among those with infection remains low.

370P - An assessment of tobacco use and cancer awareness among (tea plantation workers) Irula tribes, Nilgiri hills, Tamilnadu, India

Background: India has the second largest tribal population of the world next to the African countries. About half of the world’s autochthonous people live in India, thus making India home to many tribes which have an interesting and varied history of origins, customs and social practices. Tea is an important agro-industry of India, which contributes immensely to the countries economy. Tea garden population constitutes approximately 1/12th of tea growing state's population. Poor socio-economic conditions, ignorance due to illiteracy, over-crowded and unhygienic living conditions in the residential colonies make tea garden population vulnerable to various communicable diseases and malnutrition. Hence this study was contemplated with an aim to assess the oral health status, tobacco use and cancer awareness among tea plantation workers, the irula tribes of Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, India. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess the tobacco use and cancer awareness among 900 tea plantation workers who are tribal in origin. Data was collected using a pretested Questionnaire, which included Demographic data, tobacco habits, its frequency and form. Oral examination was done by a single examiner. The data collected was analysed using SPSS version15. Results: showed that among 900 study population, showed 57% had no formal education, 34.5% had not visited dentist before. 64.5% had indigenous brushing habits. 52% of oral mucosal lesions and 6% malignant oral tumors were observed. A very high prevalence of periodontal disease, tobacco chewing, deep rooted beliefs and customs regarding dentition and dental treatment was observed in this community. Prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in the study population was due to tobacco usage and lack of awareness regarding the deleterious effects of the products used. Conclusions: From the results of this study it may be concluded that the Irula tribes were characterized by a lack of awareness about oral health, deep rooted dental beliefs, high prevalence of tobacco use and limited access to health services. Legal entity responsible for the study: N/A Funding: None Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

PUB011 An Assessment of Oral Health Status, Tobacco Use and Cancer Awareness among Tea Plantation Workers (Irula Tribes), Nilgiri Hills, India

PUB011 An Assessment of Oral Health Status, Tobacco Use and Cancer Awareness among Tea Plantation Workers (Irula Tribes), Nilgiri Hills, India

Abstract 4370: ASNS and other significant mutations in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas: mutational landscape in a South Asian population

Abstract Head and neck cancers are the sixth most common cancer type globally and contribute significantly to the burden of disease in South Asia. Specifically in Pakistan, they are the most commonly diagnosed cancer in males and the second most common in females. The increasing burden of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in the region along with a unique set of risk factors merited a deeper investigation of the disease at the genomic level. Whole exome sequencing of HPV-negative HNSCC samples and matched normal genomic DNA (n = 7) was performed. Smoking, oral tobacco use and alcohol were identified risk factors in the study cohort. Significant somatic single nucleotide variants (SNVs) were identified and pathway analysis performed to determine most frequently affected signaling pathways. Significant, novel recurrent mutation in ASNS (asparagine synthetase) and driver mutations in previously reported genes, including TP53, PIK3CA, FGFR2, ARID2, MLL3, MYC and ALK, were identified. Using the IntOGen platform, we identified MAP kinase, cell cycle, actin cytoskeleton regulation, PI3K-Akt signaling and other pathways in cancer as among the most commonly affected pathways in all the samples. This data is the first of its kind from the Pakistani population. The results of this study can guide a better mechanistic understanding of HNSCC in the population, ultimately contributing new, rational therapeutic targets for the treatment of the disease. Citation Format: Sadiq Rehmani, Safina Abdul Razzak, Sarosh Madhani, M Kamran Azim, Rashdia Ahmed, Mumtaz Khan, Kulsoom Ghias. ASNS and other significant mutations in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas: mutational landscape in a South Asian population [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4370. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4370

Development of a mobile application for oral cancer screening.

To develop a mobile application (app) for oral cancer screening. The app was developed using Android system version 4.4.2, with JAVA language. Information concerning sociodemographic data and risk factors for oral cancer development, e.g., tobacco and alcohol use, sun exposure and other contributing factors, such as unprotected oral sex, oral pain and denture use, were included. We surveyed a population at high risk for oral cancer development and then evaluated the sensitivity/specificity/accuracy and predictive values of clinical oral diagnosis between two blinded trained examiners, who used movies and data from the app, and in loco oral examination as gold-standard. A total of 55 individuals at high risk for oral cancer development were surveyed. Of these, 31% presented homogeneous/heterogeneous white lesions with potential of malignancy. The clinical diagnoses performed by the two examiners using videos were found to have sensitivity of 82%-100% (average 91%), specificity of 81%-100% (average 90.5%), and accuracy of 87.27%-95.54% (average 90.90%), as compared with the gold-standard. The Kappa agreement value between the gold-standard and the examiner with the best agreement was 0.597. Mobile apps including videos and data collection interfaces could be an interesting alternative in oral cancer research development.

Surgical Site Infections in Patients Receiving Osteomyocutaneous Free Flaps to the Head and Neck. Does Choice of Antibiotic Prophylaxis Matter?

The most appropriate prophylactic antibiotic for clean-and-contaminated head and neck osteomyocutaneous free flap (OFF) tissue transfer procedures is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the choice of perioperative antibiotic was related to recipient surgical site infection (SSI) in patients receiving an OFF to the head and neck. This retrospective cohort study evaluated SSI in relation to the perioperative antibiotic received from July 2010 through October 2013 at a tertiary care medical center. Minimum follow-up was 6months. SSI was defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wound infection criteria. Perioperative antibiotic selected, duration of use, OFF performed, medical comorbidities, and SSIs were recorded and analyzed. One hundred two patients (64 men, 38 women) met the inclusion criteria. Forty patients developed an SSI. Analysis of variance showed that age (P= .64), gender (P= .97), use of alcohol (P= .87), final pathology (P= .3), cardiovascular disease (P= .33), and diabetes mellitus or immune dysfunction (P= .95) did not have a significant association with the development of a postoperative wound infection. On univariate analysis, non-head and neck primary malignancies showed a significant risk for SSI (P= .03), with previous head and neck surgery (P= .05) and oral tobacco use (P= .06) having trends for increased risk of SSI. Clindamycin antibiotic was strongly associated with the development of an SSI, with 50% of that cohort developing a recipient SSI (odds ratio= 7.0; P < .002), regardless of duration of use. The rate of development of a recipient SSI with cefazolin was 25% and that with ampicillin plus sulbactam was 19%. A statistically relevant number of patients who developed a recipient SSI received clindamycin as perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. An antibiotic regime other than clindamycin should be considered in patients with an allergy to penicillin or cephalosporin who are undergoing an OFF procedure to the head and neck.

Oral Sub mucous Fibrosis and Tobacco Use among Slum Dwellers of Bhopal City, India

Background: Oral sub mucous fibrosis is a chronic insidious disease of the oral mucosa. Oral Sub mucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a pre-cancerous condition predominantly seen among betel quid chewers, areca nut chewing, tobacco smoking and chewing. The slum dwellers are more prone to chewing habits. Hence this study was undertaken to analyze the tobacco use and its association with OSMF among the slum dwellers of Bhopal City. Objective: To study the prevalence of oral sub mucous fibrosis and its relation with tobacco use among slum dwellers in Bhopal city, India. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted to evaluate the tobacco related practices amongst the slum dwellers and its impact on oral health. The study included residence of chola road. A self-designed printed questionnaire form was used to collect the data. The questions included demoFigureic details, the habit of tobacco consumption and the frequency of tobacco consumption. Results: Tobacco habit is common among the slum dwellers of Bhopal City and it does not have a significant association with the occurrence of Oral Sub mucous Fibrosis in this population (p>0.05). Conclusions: The habit of tobacco consumption has an impact on the occurrence of OSMF among the slum dwellers of Bhopal City.

PUB104 An Assessment of Oral Health Status, Tobacco Use and Cancer Awareness among Tea Plantation Workers, Nilgiri Hills, Tamilnadu India

Tea is an important agro-industry of India, which contributes immensely to the country’s economy. Tea garden population constitutes approximately 1/12th of tea growing state's population. Poor socio-economic conditions, ignorance due to illiteracy, over-crowded and unhygienic living conditions in the residential colonies make tea garden population vulnerable to various communicable diseases and malnutrition. Hence this study was contemplated with an aim to assess the oral health status, tobacco use and cancer awareness among tea plantation workers, Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, India. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess the tobacco use and cancer awareness among tea plantation workers, Nilgiri Hills. Data was collected using a pretested Questionnaire, which included Demographic data, tobacco habits, its frequency and form. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS version15. Results showed that among 900 study population, showed 57% had no formal education, 34.5% had not visited dentist before. 64.5% had indigenous brushing habits. A very high prevalence of periodontal disease, tobacco chewing, deep rooted beliefs and customs regarding dentition and dental treatment was observed in this community. Prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in the study population was due to tobacco usage and lack of awareness regarding the deleterious effects of the products used. The dangers from smoking and chewing tobacco are well documented within the literature but the public’s lack of knowledge of the risks is a concern. Health professionals are encouraged to ensure that the public is made aware of these risks, especially those within high-risk groups.

Oral health and human papillomavirus-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Indicators of poor oral health, including smoking, have been associated with increased risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, especially oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), yet few studies have examined whether this association is modified by human papillomavirus (HPV) status. Data from interviews and tumor HPV status from a large population-based case-control study, the Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Study (CHANCE), were used to estimate the association between oral health indicators and smoking among 102 HPV-positive patients and 145 HPV-negative patients with OPSCC and 1396 controls. HPV status was determined by p16INK4a (p16) immunohistochemistry. Unconditional, multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for all oral health indictors adjusting for important covariates. Routine dental examinations were associated with a decreased risk of both HPV-negative OPSCC (OR, 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35-0.76) and HPV-positive OPSCC (OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.36-.86). Tooth mobility (a proxy for periodontal disease) increased the risk of HPV-negative disease (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.18-2.43) slightly more than the risk for HPV-positive disease (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 0.95-2.20). Ten or more pack-years of cigarette smoking were strongly associated with an increased risk of HPV-negative OPSCC (OR, 4.26; 95% CI, 2.85-6.37) and were associated less with an increased risk of HPV-positive OPSCC (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.10-2.38). Although HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC differ significantly with respect to etiology and tumorigenesis, the current findings suggest a similar pattern of association between poor oral health, frequency of dental examinations, and both HPV-positive and HPV-negative OPSCC. Future research is required to elucidate interactions between poor oral health, tobacco use, and HPV in the development of OPSCC. Cancer 2017;71-80. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Differences in cardiovascular toxicities associated with cigarette smoking and snuff use revealed using novel zebrafish models.

ABSTRACTTobacco use is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease and the only avoidable risk factor associated with development of aortic aneurysm. While smoking is the most common form of tobacco use, snuff and other oral tobacco products are gaining popularity, but research on potentially toxic effects of oral tobacco use has not kept pace with the increase in its use. Here, we demonstrate that cigarette smoke and snuff extracts are highly toxic to developing zebrafish embryos. Exposure to such extracts led to a palette of toxic effects including early embryonic mortality, developmental delay, cerebral hemorrhages, defects in lymphatics development and ventricular function, and aneurysm development. Both cigarette smoke and snuff were more toxic than pure nicotine, indicating that other compounds in these products are also associated with toxicity. While some toxicities were found following exposure to both types of tobacco product, other toxicities, including developmental delay and aneurysm development, were specifically observed in the snuff extract group, whereas cerebral hemorrhages were only found in the group exposed to cigarette smoke extract. These findings deepen our understanding of the pathogenic effects of cigarette smoking and snuff use on the cardiovascular system and illustrate the benefits of using zebrafish to study mechanisms involved in aneurysm development.

Raman Spectroscopic Analysis of Blood, Urine, Saliva and Tissue of Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders and Malignancy-A Diagnostic Study

Introduction Oral cancer is ranked as the sixth most common cancers in the world [1]. Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) which are clinically evident precede most of the oral squamous cell carcinomas [2]. Most cancers of the oral cavity are oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC), and tobacco, alcohol and betel use are the main risk factors for these and many OPMDs [3,4]. The high risk group is older adult males who use tobacco and alcohol. It is expected that early diagnosis of OPMDs can reduce mortality [5,6]. Early diagnosis of OSCC can speed proceeding early intervention to treatment and can improve the prognosis [7]. Conventional oral examination (COE) is the standard method of revealing OPMDs and OSCC, confirming the clinical suspicion by biopsy.

Association between dental fear and oral health habits and treatment need among University students in Finland: a national study

BackgroundFirst-year university students are in a new, independent life situation, which may affect health behaviour, including oral health habits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between dental fear and oral health habits, while considering the simultaneous effects of attitude toward food and treatment need at dental check-ups.MethodsThe data (n = 8514) for this national cross-sectional study were collected from health registers of Finnish Student Health Service. As part of health examination all first-year university students in Finland were sent an electronic questionnaire asking about general, psychological and oral health, and health habits. Dental fear was measured by the question: “How afraid are you of visiting a dentist?” (reply alternatives: “Not at all”, “Somewhat” and “Very”). Chi-square tests and Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine the associations between dental fear and oral health habits (tooth brushing, tobacco use, frequency of eating and drinking, eating habits and interval between dental check-ups) as well as attitude to food and treatment need at dental check-ups while controlling for age, gender, general mood and feelings in social situations.ResultsOf the oral health habits, tooth brushing and tobacco use were associated with dental fear. Those who brushed their teeth once a day or less often or used tobacco regularly were more likely to have high dental fear than those who brushed their teeth twice a day or more often or used tobacco occasionally or not at all. Students who reported not having a normal attitude to food were more likely to have high dental fear than were those reporting normal attitude to food, but the frequency of eating and drinking was not associated with dental fear. Students who reported needing treatment frequently or at every dental check-up were more likely to have high dental fear than those who reported rarely or never needing treatment.ConclusionThose students with high dental fear seem to be at risk of having poor oral health habits and abnormal attitude to food, which may increase the risk of deterioration of oral health and the need for treatment. Dental teams should make efforts in helping fearful patients to find motivation for good oral health habits.