Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the periodontal health status of Korean adolescents and its relationship with oral health behaviors, as well as to use certain basic sources for improving the periodontal health of adolescents. Methods: Data were obtained from the original data of the Korea National Oral Health Survey in 2010. The subjects included 12,351 adolescents aged 12 and 15 years. The questionnaire administered to each adolescent included 17 items on demographic variables, such as gender, regions, and oral health behaviors, and subjective perceptions, tooth brushing per period, and intake of cariogenic food. Results: Examination of the periodontal status revealed that 43.1% of the adolescents had healthy periodontal tissue, 20.0% had gingival bleeding, and 36.9% had calculus formation. The adolescents who brushed their teeth before sleeping had significantly better periodontal health, and those who had never smoked had good periodontal health. In addition, those with a higher number of annual visits to the dentist had better periodontal health. Region, age, brushing teeth after breakfast and before sleep, flossing, subjective oral health perceptions, and annual visits to the dentists were significantly associated with the periodontal health status of adolescents. Conclusions: Oral health education must be included while planning oral health services for the improvement of periodontal health in order to change oral health behaviors among the adolescents.

Keywords

• Adolescent;
• Community periodontal index;
• Oral health behaviors;
• Periodontal health;
• Questionnaire