• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.271-280
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• 2013

This study aims to analyze the effects of tooth-brushing facilities (TBF) at middle schools that installed TBF in 2012 as part of the oral health project in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. The subjects were the first graders at A middle school that installed TBF previously and B middle school that installed TBF in 2012. The results are as follows: DMFT, DMFS and CPI didn't show significant difference by schools (p>0.05), but code (0) was higher and code (2) was lower in female students than male students (p<0.05). As to PHP index, the students at A school with TBF indicated better oral hygiene (p<0.01). In the research on before and after installing TBF, the oral hygiene was improved significantly more after the installation than before (p <0.01). In the comparison on the oral health-related behavior, the percentage of not brushing after lunch was higher B school than A school and the frequency of toothbrushing after lunch was higher A school than B school (p<0.01). About the reasons why not to brush after lunch, there was difference in 'lack of the place' as A school showed 2.6% while B school without TBF indicated 14.2% (p<0.01). About the changes of the oral health-related behavior before and after TBF installation, the percentage of not brushing after lunch increased from 78.7% to 83.8% after the installation. The average frequency of tooth-brushing after lunch for one week also decreased from 0.50 to 0.34 (p>0.05). Among the reasons why not to brush after lunch, 'lack of the place' significantly reduced, but 'because other friends don't do it' increased greatly after the installation (p <0.05). Only with the improvement of oral health knowledge, we cannot expect either clinical or behavioral significance. Not only schools but policies of governmental agencies and financial support, cooperation of community-related groups for program development and evaluation will contribute altogether to helping teenagers to habitualize proper oral health management.