Journal of Korean Society of Dental Hygiene (J Korean Soc Dent Hyg)
Original Article

Association between health behaviors and tooth fracture incidence among Korean adolescents: findings from the 20th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Department of Dental Hygiene, Division of Health Science, Baekseok University

Correspondence to Min-Hee Hong, Department of Dental Hygiene, Division of Health Science, Baekseok University, 1 Baekseokdaehakro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, 31065, Korea. Tel: +82-10-3123-6744, Fax: +82-41-550-9146, E-mail: mini8265@bu.ac.kr

Volume 25, Number 5, Pages 391-400, October 2025.
J Korean Soc Dent Hyg 2025;25(5):391-400. https://doi.org/10.13065/jksdh.2025.25.5.4
Received on August 18, 2025, Revised on September 21, 2025, Accepted on October 01, 2025, Published on October 30, 2025.
Copyright © 2025 Journal of Korean Society of Dental Hygiene.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0).

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to clarify the risk factors for tooth fracture among Korean adolescents using data from the 20th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2024). Methods: A total of 54,648 adolescents were included in this study. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0. Results: The prevalence of tooth fracture was higher among male students; high school students; and those with lower academic achievement, lower economic status, unhealthy status, and insufficient recovery from sleep. The risk of tooth fracture increased with greater participation in physical activities such as ≥60 min of physical activity per week, vigorous-intensity physical activity, and more frequent muscle-strengthening exercises. Additionally, risky behaviors such as not wearing seat belts or helmets; history of injury or hospital treatment; lack of safety education; and history of violence, binge drinking, or drug use significantly increased the likelihood of tooth fracture. Conclusions: Tooth fractures in adolescents are influenced by multiple factors rather than a single cause. The findings suggest that prevention strategies should comprehensively address physical activity management, enhance safety awareness, and reduce risky behaviors.

Keywords

Adolescents, Injury, Physical activity, Risky behaviors, Safety, Tooth fracture

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