Publication:

Influence of oral health behaviour and beliefs on the oral health of 12- and 15-years school children, Ghaziabad city

Background Dental caries is a multifactorial condition shaped by a combination of socio-demographic determinants and individual attitudes or perceptions. The objective of the study was to assess the association between oral health beliefs and the prevalence of dental caries among schoolchildren in Ghaziabad city.

Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 12- and 15-year-old school children in Ghaziabad city during the academic year from January 2022 to January 2023. A pre-validated structured questionnaire on health beliefs was used. Children’s oral health was assessed through a clinical examination.

Results A total of 1,250 school children were examined. The correlation analysis between oral health belief and mean DMFT score yielded a correlation coefficient of -0.276, indicating a moderate negative correlation between these two variables. The negative sign suggests that the mean DMFT scores tend to decrease as oral health belief scores increase, and vice versa. In contrast, the correlation analysis between oral health beliefs and the presence or absence of gingival bleeding yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.054. This value suggests a very weak positive correlation between these two variables. The Structural equational model showed a substantial ability to predict dental caries, accounting for 37.5% of the variation in DMFT scores. In comparison, it accounted for 16.3% of the variation in gingival bleeding, reflecting a moderate level of predictive accuracy. Interestingly, the pattern for gingival bleeding was different-children with stronger oral health beliefs tended to report more instances of gingival bleeding.

Conclusion The study concluded that there is a significant need to address self-efficacy barriers among school-going children, particularly in relation to oral health. The importance of oral health in school-age children is a key target group for oral health programs.