TY - JOUR
T1 - Attitude, knowledge and habits of high school pupils in Israel regarding oral health
AU - Brook, U.
AU - Heim, M.
AU - Alkalai, Y.
PY - 1996/3
Y1 - 1996/3
N2 - The purpose of this project was to study the habits, knowledge and attitudes of 132 high school students in regards to their teeth and oral health. An inflated amount of consumption of snack food and sweet beverages between meals was reported. Seventy-two point seven percent claimed to brush their teeth at least twice daily. Forty-nine point three percent claimed to visit their dentist annually. The results also demonstrated a poor general knowledge and misconceptions concerning teeth, food and oral health throughout the years of high school studies. Knowledge levels correlated with with age. More than half of the pupils attributed esthetical importance to the teeth appearance. The students' knowledge concerning prevention stemmed mainly from their dentist, parents, and the media and only 2.6% learned anything from formal school teaching. In the light of the students' poor knowledge, it would appear that resources should be invested in schools at the elementary and high school level for oral hygiene and caries prevention education in the hope of improving bad habits and perpetuating improved oral health and hygiene.
AB - The purpose of this project was to study the habits, knowledge and attitudes of 132 high school students in regards to their teeth and oral health. An inflated amount of consumption of snack food and sweet beverages between meals was reported. Seventy-two point seven percent claimed to brush their teeth at least twice daily. Forty-nine point three percent claimed to visit their dentist annually. The results also demonstrated a poor general knowledge and misconceptions concerning teeth, food and oral health throughout the years of high school studies. Knowledge levels correlated with with age. More than half of the pupils attributed esthetical importance to the teeth appearance. The students' knowledge concerning prevention stemmed mainly from their dentist, parents, and the media and only 2.6% learned anything from formal school teaching. In the light of the students' poor knowledge, it would appear that resources should be invested in schools at the elementary and high school level for oral hygiene and caries prevention education in the hope of improving bad habits and perpetuating improved oral health and hygiene.
KW - High school pupils
KW - Oral health education
KW - Oral health knowledge and attitude
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030004543&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0738-3991(95)00821-7
DO - 10.1016/0738-3991(95)00821-7
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AN - SCOPUS:0030004543
SN - 0738-3991
VL - 27
SP - 171
EP - 175
JO - Patient Education and Counseling
JF - Patient Education and Counseling
IS - 2
ER -