한국치위생학회

Internet use and oral health behaviors in Korean adolescents

Young-Suk Kim1,*   

Department of Dental Hygiene, U1 University

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between Internet use and oral health behaviors in Korean adolescents. Methods: This study used the 13th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2017) to find an association between Internet use and oral health behaviors. The total number of study subjects was 54,603. A chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the association between Internet use and oral health behaviors. Results: Internet use was significantly increased among female, higher school grade, lower school records, and lower economic status participants (p<0.001). The rate of frequency of toothbrushing more than three times daily and use of oral hygiene devices was increased among female, higher school record, and higher economic status participants significantly (p<0.001). Oral symptoms experienced were significantly increased among female, higher school grade, lower school records, and lower economic status participants (p<0.001). The rate of the toothbrushing more than three times daily and toothbrushing after lunch groups was the highest in the group with less than one hour of Internet use, but the rate of oral symptoms experienced was the highest in the group with over five hours of Internet use. The risk of toothbrushing less than twice daily was 1.61 times higher in the group with over five hours of Internet use, and the risk of not brushing after lunch was significantly higher (1.52 times) in the over five hours group. The risk of not using oral hygiene devices was the highest (1.22 times) in the less than five hours group, and the risk of oral symptoms experiences was 1.40 times higher in the more than five hours group. Conclusions: Internet use was related to oral health behaviors in adolescents. Appropriate Internet use and awareness of oral health care are needed among adolescents.

Figures & Tables

Table 1. Distribution of internet use according to general characteristics