• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.871-880
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the self-rated oral health concern of adults over the age of 20 and from all over the country and their subjective oral health symptoms in a bid to provide some information on oral health policy setting for adults. Methods : The subjects in this study were 3,558 adults who voluntarily participated in a survey conducted by this researcher at the website of a company. After their answer sheets were analyzed, the following findings were given: Results : 1. 81 percent replied that they were very concerned about oral health. As to the relationship between their general characteristics and oral health concern, there were statistically significant differences in that regard according to their gender, age, purpose of seeing a dentist and occupation. 2. As for the relationship of their general characteristics to subjective awareness of oral health symptoms, there were statistically significant gaps in that aspect according to their gender, age, purpose of seeing a dentist, occupation and state of smoking. 3. In regard to the relationship between oral health concern and subjective awareness of oral health symptoms, those who were more concerned about oral health felt less subjective oral symptoms, but the difference between them and the others was not significant. The respondents who felt more symptoms of dental caries felt more symptoms of periodontal diseases as well. Conclusions : The above-mentioned findings indicate that in order to help adults promote or maintain their oral health, their concern for oral health should be stimulated by providing them with a lot of diverse information, and it seems that the development of programs that can eliminate their subjective oral symptoms of dental caries and peridontal diseases, the primary causes of tooth dysfunction, is required.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.859-869
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the subjective oral health awareness, oral health knowledge, oral health behavior and OHIP-14 in industrial workers. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was filled out by 243 workers in Jeonbuk May 7 to June 10, 2014. Except incomplete answers, 230 data were analyzed. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics of the subjects(sex, age, career, marital status, abd family), oral health recognition characteristics(oral health attention, subjective oral health status, and oral health concern), oral health knowledge, oral health behavior, and oral health related quality of life. The instrument was 14 questions od OHIP-14 including functional restriction(2 questions), physical pain(2 questions), psychological discomfort(2 questions), physical ability decease(2 questions), psychological function decease(2 questions), social activity decrease (2 questions), and social discomfort(2 questions). Cronbach's alpha was 0.949 in this study and it was reliable. Results: Oral health interests showed that 57.8% of the workers had concern for oral health interests and 50.4% perceived that their subjective oral health was moderate status. 55.6% of the workers answered that their oral health status was very worried. Women had more knowledge about the oral health. Those who were in fifties tended to have more knowledge of oral health than the other age groups. Those who had more concern for oral health included female workers, married workers, and workers above 21 years. The concern for oral health made the workers keep good oral health. Higher score of OHIP-14 means good oral health. Conclusions: Good oral health-related quality of life is proportional to continuous management of oral health and subjective oral health status. It is necessary to develop the tailored oral health education program for the workers.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.457-464
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the awareness of elementary school teachers on oral health and oral health education by position and teacher carrer in an effort to provide information on oral health awareness and oral health education. Methods : This survey was conducted on 320 elementary school teachers in Jeollabuk-do from July 2 to 19, 2012. 296 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The collected date was analyzed using the statistical package SPSS WIN 13.0. Results : As for self-rated oral health status and concern for oral health by teacher career, the teachers who had a less than six years of career considered themselves to be unhealthier and were more concerned about oral health. Regarding oral health knowledge by position and career, those who were homeroom teachers and who had a less than five years of career had a better knowledge on oral health. Concerning concern for oral health education and the necessity of oral health education, the homeroom teachers were more concerned about oral health education and were better cognizant of the necessity of that education. In relation to teaching ability for oral health, the homeroom teachers found themselves to be more capable of providing oral health education than the non-homeroom teachers. Conclusions : The improve concern and recognition of oral health for the members, the elementary school students needs to develop oral health education and policy.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.1007-1015
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to survey Korean solders' oral healthcare recognition and perceived oral health concern. Methods : The data was collected from a questionnaire given 157 soldiers in Chungcheongnamdo. The data was analyzed into t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation analysis. Results : 25.5% replied that they were concerned about oral health. Soldiers who have received oral healthcare education exhibited higher recognition on the prevention of dental caries and periodontal disease. Moreover, those who have used oral hygiene devices also showed higher recognition on the prevention of dental caries and periodontal disease. The recognition of preventive effects on dental caries, in particular, showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). In regard to the relationship between oral health concern and recognition of oral healthcare, those who were more concerned about oral health were higher recognition of periodontal disease prevention(r=0.254, p<0.01). Conclusions : To improve concern and recognition of oral health for the members, the soldiers needs to develop oral health education and policy.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.191-204
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to contribute to providing more effective basic data for adults 'oral health management in their future. Methods: The study investigated factors that influence oral health care and oral health behavior depending on the heterosexual status for about one month from Aug. of 2017 on 20 unmarried adults living in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. Statistical analysis of the collected data was performed using the SPSS WIN 21.0 statistical program. Results: The factors affecting the oral health behavior were high (p<0.001) while oral hygiene products (p<0.05) and interdental toothbrush (p<0.05) were found to have a positive effect on oral health behavior. However, it was found that the times of brushing were less than three (p<0.05) and the time for brushing was two minutes (p<0.05), which negatively affects oral health behavior. The concern of oral health was high (p<0.001), whiledental hygiene products (p<0.05), interdental toothbrush (p<0.05) and mouth saliva (p<0.05) were found to have positive effects on oral health care. Conclusions:Based on the results above, it was found that the concern and the behavior of oral health increased depending on the heterosexual status. The reason for this is that the motivation for oral care is more likely to be induced to make oneself attractive by making a resignation. Therefore, in order to promote oral health care and oral health activities, it is necessary to precede the motivation.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to provide information about the development of curricula geared toward improving the oral health of college students and of oral-health education programs in an effort to teach college students to be knowledgeable about oral health throughout their lives. The subjects in this study were 455 students at three different colleges in Gyeonggi province, on whom a survey was conducted. As for the basic oral health care of the college students investigated, 54.5 percent had ever visited a dental clinic over the last year, and 34.7 percent had their teeth scaled over the last year. Regarding self-awareness of current oral health state, 77 percent felt there s something wrong with their oral health. Concerning the correlation of their oral health behavior and knowledge to each selected variable, better internal and external locus of control led to better oral health promotion behaviors and better oral health knowledge. As to their self-perception of oral health and influential factors, better toothbrushing, better dietary habits and periodical oral examination, which belonged to oral health promotion behaviors, were followed by better oral health locus of control, and higher concern for oral health led to better oral health locus of control as well. Better toothbrushing, better dietary habits, periodical oral examination and better internal locus of control were concurrent with higher interest in oral health. Better external locus of control and stronger concern for oral health were accompanied by better oral health promotion behaviors.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.621-629
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the influential factors for the oral-health practice of adult workers and the relationship of their health-promotion life style to the factors of oral-health practice in an attempt to determine the impact of health-promotion life style. Methods : The subjects in this study were 160 workers who worked in Seoul, North-Jeolla and South-Jeolla Province, and were at the age of 20 and up. The survey was conducted from February 1 to July 20, 2011. Results : As for the relationship of the general characteristics of the workers to the factors of their health-promotion practice, gender made statistically significant differences to toothbrushing female (3.24), and there were statistically significant differences in education/concern according to more than college(2.72) scored higher academic credential(p<0.05). The group of the workers whose health-promotion life style was better in terms of all the toothbrushing(3.35), use of oral hygiene supplies(2.19), regular dental-clinic visit(2.70), dietary control(2.84) and education/concern(3.20) scored higher, and there were statistically significant differences in the factors of education/concern(p<0.05). Their health-promotion life style had an impact on regular dental-clinic visit among the factors of oral-health practice(p<0.05), and there was a positive correlation between health-promotion life style and tooth brushing, dietary control(p<0.05), regular dental-clinic visit, education and concern(p<0.01) the factors of oral-health practice. Conclusions : Workers should be stimulated to get into sound life habits to change their behavior, and they should be urged to improve their preventive health care, to get a dental checkup and ultimately to promote their health as well. Companies should take measures to accelerate the oral health promotion of workers and provide more dental checkup programs for them to be more concerned about their oral health, to promote their oral health and to maintain the best oral health.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.1005-1016
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the awareness of mothers on their children's oral health and their concern for that by socio-demographic characteristics and the relationship of their awareness of methods of dental-caries prevention to their practice of the methods. Methods : The subjects in this study were 337 guardians of preschoolers at kindergartens and daycare centers. A self-administered survey was conducted from April 25 to May 27, 2011, and the collected data were analyzed by the statistical package SPSS 18.0. Results : 1.Self-rated concern for children's oral health, 87.7 percent and 12.1 percent replied, "So-so." Whether they were working or not and whether they were mainly responsible for child rearing made significant differences to that(p<.05). 2. As to subjective awareness of their children's oral health, the largest group of the mothers answered "So-so." (44.9%) The second replied that their children were in good oral health(40.5%), and the third group in poor oral health(14.2%). 3. The relationship between self-rated concern for their children's oral health and awareness of methods of caries prevention, statistically significant differences were found according to toothbrushing education and sealant(p<.05). There were no statistically significant differences in practice, but application of fluoride was the least. 4. The relationship between self-rated awareness for their children's oral health and awareness of the preventive methods of caries, there were statistically significant gaps in awareness of toothbrushing education(p<.05). In practice, statistically significant gaps were found in practice of toothbrushing education and sugar-intake restriction(p<.01). 5. In regard to the correlation between awareness and practice of the preventive methods of caries, awareness of all the factors involving toothbrushing education, sealant, application of fluoride and restriction of sugar intake had a significant positive correlation to practice of them. Better awareness led to better practice. Conclusions : In order to ensure children's successful oral health care, more authentic education of how to prevent dental caries should be offered by experts such as dental hygienists and dentists. Especially, detailed information on application of fluoride, restriction of sugar intake and pit and sealant should be provided for mothers to help their children to stay away from dental caries.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.44-54
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• 2018

Objectives: To protect individuals working at the site as well as the surrounding general population from a chemical accident, several emergency exposure guidance levels have been used to set a level of concern for certain chemicals. However, a level of concern has not been established for many substances that are frequently used or produced in large quantities in Korean workplaces. In the present study, we investigated the guidance levels for protecting populations from chemical exposure and the estimation of level of concern using acute inhalation and oral toxicity data. Methods: The number of chemicals to which emergency exposure guidance levels (e.g., ERPG-2, AEGL-2, PAC-2, and IDLH) can be applied were determined among 822 hazardous chemicals according to the 'Technical Guidelines for the Selection of Accident Scenarios (revised December 2016)'. The ERPG and AEGL values were compared across all three tiers for the 31 substances that appeared on both lists. We examined the degree of difference between the emergency exposure guidance levels and the estimates of level of concern calculated from acute inhalation or acute oral toxicity data. Results: Among the 822 hazardous chemicals, emergency exposure guidance levels can be applied to 359 substances, suggesting that the estimates of level of concern should be calculated using acute toxicity data for 56.3% of the hazardous chemicals. When comparing the concordance rates of ERPG and AEGL for 31 substances, the difference between the two criteria was generally small. However, about 40% of the substances have values diverging by more than three-fold in at least one tier. Such discrepancies may cause interpretation and communication problems in risk management. The emergency exposure guidance levels were similar to the estimates of level of concern calculated using acute inhalation toxicity data, but the differences were significant when using acute oral toxicity data. These results indicate that the level of concern derived from acute oral toxicity data may be insufficient to protect the population in some cases. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the development of standardized guidance values for emergency chemical exposure in the Korean population should be encouraged. It is also necessary to analyze acute toxicity data and fill the information gaps for substances that are important in Korean workplace situations.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of oral health education for occupational health nurses. The subjects were 300 occupational health nurses which participated in continuing education of Korean Association of Occupational Health Nurses. Oral health education contents consisted of basic knowledge about oral health, prevention of periodontal disease, oral health care for workers, and oral health program for workers. In order to evaluate the effects of oral health education, we performed questionnaire surveys before and after the education regarding their perceived oral health status and concern for oral health, knowledge about prevention of periodontal disease, attitude about oral health promotion, and needs for implementation of oral health promotion program. The data were analyzed by paired t-test to compare the change of knowledge and attitude according to the education. Linear regression analysis was carried out to assess the factors related to the improvement of their knowledge and attitude. The findings indicated that oral health knowledge and attitude of occupational health nurses were significantly improved by oral health education. A factor of the improvement of knowledge and attitude was concern for oral health. And they would like to be provided primarily oral health education for occupational health nurses. Finally, this study suggested that oral health education for occupational health nurses had significantly effects on improving oral health knowledge and attitude.