Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of gender in the association between the oral symptoms experience and health behavior. Methods: The subjects were 54,219 adolescents selected from the web-based survey of the 11th (2015) Korean Youth Risk Behavior of Korean Center for Disease Control. Data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0. The subjects consisted of 27,198 male students(50.2%) and 27,021 female students(49.8%) from 400 middle schools and 400 high schools. Results: Multiple logistic regression analysis after adjustment to demographic characteristics and oral health behavior showed experience with drinking and smoking in adolescents increased oral symptoms experienced by both male and female students (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.20-1.34 / OR =1.3, 95% CI = 1.18-1.33), (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.24-1.40 / OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.43-1.30). But the difference was not significant between genders. In terms of diet, consumption of carbonated beverages, snacks and fast food saw an increase in oral symptoms experience both gender compared with those whose “No(weekly)” in particular to women, alternatively vegetable, fruit consumption(weekly) were having less intake adolescents increase oral symptoms experience than “time daily(weekly)” intake adolescents both boy and girl especially to girl. Conclusions: There was a correlation between oral symptom experiences and health behaviors. There was also slight differences between genders, with more effect shown on female students. Based on this study, proper and systematic education of oral health management should be carried out at schools.
Figures & Tables
Table 1. Prevalence of each oral symptoms according to gender and grade of subjects
