Department of Public Health Dentistry, Government Dental College & Hospital, Hyderabad, India.
Ann Ig. 2023 Sep-Oct;35(5):534-545. doi: 10.7416/ai.2023.2565.
Self-esteem is a psychological construct that has been consistently linked to general and oral health. However, most studies interpolating self-esteem and oral health behaviour have been focused on children and adolescents, and there is a dearth of scientific literature on adults. Hence, this study, that is aimed to correlate self-esteem with oral hygiene behaviour and oral health status in Telugu-speaking adult dental patients.
A cross-sectional study involving adult dental patients who were 35-44 years of age and visited the Government Dental Hospital in Hyderabad city, India, was conducted. Self-esteem was assessed using the Telugu-translated version of the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, oral health behaviour was determined using the Oral Hygiene Behaviour Index and oral health assessment was performed using the World Health Organization Dentition status, the modified Community Periodontal Index and the Loss of Attachment.
A total of 456 patients were included in this study. Most of the participants reported low self-esteem, with a mean score of 11.8 ± 2.7. Patients with primary school education reported higher self-esteem scores than those with high school and university education (p = 0.0001). Furthermore, low Oral Hygiene Behaviour Index scores (64.9%) in the study population and high Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth scores in females (5.7 ± 4.4; p = 0.09) were noted. None of the variables (Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth scores, Oral Hygiene Behaviour, gingival bleeding and Loss of Attachment) were significantly correlated with self-esteem. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that younger age, lower educational level and presence of dental caries resulted in higher odds for high self-esteem (p < 0.01).
The findings indicated a significant association between self-esteem and oral health. Indivi-duals with dental caries had significantly higher odds for high self-esteem. Thus, this study emphasises the relevance of psychosocial factors, such as self-esteem, as the mediator of oral health.
自尊是一种心理结构，与一般和口腔健康一直密切相关。然而，将自尊和口腔健康行为进行插值的大多数研究都集中在儿童和青少年身上，关于成年人的科学文献很少。因此，本研究旨在探讨泰卢固语成年人牙科患者的自尊与口腔卫生行为和口腔健康状况的相关性。
进行了一项横断面研究，纳入年龄在 35-44 岁之间、访问印度海德拉巴市政府牙科医院的成年牙科患者。使用罗森伯格自尊量表的泰卢固语翻译版评估自尊，使用口腔卫生行为指数确定口腔卫生行为，使用世界卫生组织牙齿状况、改良社区牙周指数和附着丧失评估口腔健康状况。
本研究共纳入 456 名患者。大多数参与者报告自尊水平较低，平均得分为 11.8 ± 2.7。接受小学教育的患者报告的自尊得分高于接受高中和大学教育的患者（p = 0.0001）。此外，研究人群的口腔卫生行为指数得分较低（64.9%），女性的龋齿、缺失、补牙数较高（5.7 ± 4.4；p = 0.09）。没有任何变量（龋齿、缺失、补牙数、口腔卫生行为、牙龈出血和附着丧失）与自尊显著相关。多变量回归分析显示，年龄较小、教育水平较低和存在龋齿会增加自尊程度较高的可能性（p < 0.01）。
研究结果表明自尊与口腔健康之间存在显著关联。患有龋齿的个体具有更高的高自尊可能性。因此，本研究强调了自尊等社会心理因素作为口腔健康中介的相关性。
