대학생의 구강관련 외모만족도와 주관적 구강건강 상태의 관련성

Correlation between oral-related appearance satisfaction and subjective oral health status of college students

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine correlation between subjective oral health status and oral-related appearance satisfaction of college students. 100 college students at a college located in Gyeonggi-do participated in the survey, oral examinations, and self-rated oral hygiene management ability tests. The data was then analyzed accordingly. Methods: Frequency test and chi-square statistical analysis were conducted on general characteristics and subjective oral health status, and SAS version 9.2 was used. Results: As a result of this study, students' subjective perceptions about oral health had positive correlation with oral-related appearance(p <0.05). It is noteworthy that those who responded on 'satisfactory' oral health status indicated that 16% 'unsatisfactory', 28% 'average' and 68% 'satisfactory' on oral-related appearance. Students' self-rated oral hygiene management ability and irregular teeth conditions were also found relevant in causing discomfort in interpersonal activities, whereas students responded 'satisfactory', 0.00%; 'average', 31.82%; 'unsatisfactory' 68.18% (p <0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that oral-related appearance can have an impact on oral health status and that oral-related appearance can be a contributing factor to improve oral health status and therefore results in promotion of general health. In the future, further research should be considered about perception on oral-related appearance, oral health status and any resulting behavior changes.