@Article{Gałecka-Wanatowicz2016,
journal="Journal of Stomatology",
issn="0011-4553",
volume="69",
number="5",
year="2016",
title="Survey-based evaluation of oral hygiene habits among
students of several Cracow universities – part I",
abstract="Introduction. Oral health status is integrally related to the overall body health as well as general well being. Parents should implement proper hygienic habits from the earliest age to be continued over a lifetime. Assessment of the effectiveness of health-promoting practices is difficult, but must be carried out because of the necessity to verify the value of educational programs conducted by schools and the mass media (press, the internet, radio and television). Aim of the study. To assess the frequency of visits to a dentist and oral hygiene habits in dental students and in students of other non-medical fields of studies – based on a survey study. Material and methods. The evaluated material consisted of answers to the questionnaire which was prepared for the purpose of the research. A total of 223 participants including 159 women and 64 men, between the ages of 19 to 21 years, took part in the survey. The respondents were students of Cracow universities – Jagiellonian University Medical College (CMUJ), Jagiellonian University (UJ) and University of Science and Technology (AGH). Results. Only 30% of respondents declared regular visits to the dentist. More than half of the surveyed (55.16%) brush their teeth twice a day and 19.73% do it three times a day. Among the surveyed, 63.23% rinse their mouth with mouthwashes, 45.74% floss their teeth and 77% use a manual toothbrush. The study group was aware of the complex process of calculus formation. Conclusions. The conducted survey revealed that it is necessary to constantly inform and motivate the respondents about correct hygiene habits. As expected, it was found that dental students show significantly higher knowledge about oral health in comparison with students from other universities. However, knowledge of this group of respondents does not result in the implementation of correct hygiene habits and pro-health behaviour.  ",
author="Gałecka-Wanatowicz, Dagmara
and Jurczak, Anna
and Lipska, Weronika
and Lipski, Marcin
and Chomyszyn-Gajewska, Maria",
pages="538--548",
doi="10.5604/00114553.1230108",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.5604/00114553.1230108"
}