RESEARCH ON THE IMPORTANCE OF

ORAL HYGIENE

A MINI RESEARCH SUBMITTED TO THE

R & D CLUB OF S.M.K TAMAN S.E.A., P.J.

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT

OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR

THE SIXTH FORM COURSE

2011

BY

JONATHAN HENG FUQIANG

S M K TAMAN SEA, PETALING JAYA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Firstly, I would like to record my grateful appreciation to all the Form 6 teachers, especially Pn

Tan Sin Wah and Pn Vasanthy for their guidance and support. I would also like to thank my dad

for taking his effort to look through my work.

This research would not have been a success if not for the cooperation and support of several

parties including the involvement of members of the research and development club who helped

us in no small way.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my group members namely Men How, Saystri,

Kah Lin, Hoc Leong, Alexander, and Sathes for their hard work and team spirit to ensure the

success of this research project.

Last but not least, I must thank the students of 4 Cempaka for their involvement in this research by

giving kind co-operation and undivided support and time to be willing respondents to our survey.

ii

ABSTRACT

The study investigates the importance of oral hygiene among secondary school students.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the awareness of oral hygiene among secondary school

students and to identify their oral health status.

The outcome highlighted a high degree of student awareness of oral hygiene and indicates their

positive attitude towards it.

There exist a small number of students quite unaware about the importance of oral hygiene which

can affect their appearance and oral health.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...................................................................................................................... ii

ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................................ iii

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................6

Statement of Problem................................................................................................................. 6

Purpose of Study..........................................................................................................................6

Significance of Study....................................................................................................................6

Research Question.......................................................................................................................7

Operational Definition.................................................................................................................7

CHAPTER 2-LITERATURE REVIEW.....................................................................................................8

CHAPTER 3 – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY......................................................................................10

Overview....................................................................................................................................10

Site.............................................................................................................................................10

Participants................................................................................................................................10

Instruments............................................................................................................................... 10

Data Analysis............................................................................................................................. 10

CHAPTER 4 – RESULTS....................................................................................................................11

iv

CHAPTER 5 - CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS..................................................................29

Introduction...............................................................................................................................29

Summary of the Study...............................................................................................................29

Findings......................................................................................................................................29

Implications............................................................................................................................... 30

Limitation...................................................................................................................................31

Recommendation and Future Research....................................................................................32

REFERENCES................................................................................................................................... 33

EXAMPLE SURVEY PAPER...............................................................................................................35

SURVEY PAPERS DID BY STUDENTS OF 4 CEMPAKA.......................................................................37

v

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION

Statement of Problem

Oral hygiene among students in Malaysia is not on par with the standard set by the World Dental

Assiositation which would cause many oral health problems among Malaysian students.

Besides that, students who are unaware about their oral hygiene tend to not care about their oral

health.

Therefore, this study was carried out to identify the level and knowledge of oral hygiene awareness

among secondary school students.

Purpose of Study

In the proposed study, I will investigate the importance of oral hygiene among secondary school

students. Specifically, this study aims to:

Investigate the students’ level of awareness on oral hygiene.

Determine how aware secondary school students are on their habits, status and knowledge of oral

hygiene.

Outcomes and insights acquired through this study are expected to create awareness among school

students on their practice of oral hygiene.

Significance of Study

Conclusions drawn from this study will enable the society and its elites, i.e., dentist, teachers etc., to

better determine the way forward in assisting students by identifying level of oral hygiene.

For instance, if it is found, in this study, that level of oral hygiene among students does negatively

affect a student’s image, then various departments can derive methods to overcome this problem.

Besides that it can educate the students and create awareness to the public.

6

Therefore, this study was carried out in order to identify the level and knowledge of oral hygiene

among secondary students .

Research Question

What are students level of awareness and knowledge on oral hygiene?

Operational Definition

For the purpose of this research:

Awareness

- Having or showing realization, perception, or knowledge

Knowledge

- The fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience

Oral Hygiene

- Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth and teeth clean to prevent dental problems

and bad breath..

Oral Health

- Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases,

disorders and conditions of the soft and hard tissues of the jaw (mandible), the oral cavity,

maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human

body. 

7

CHAPTER 2-LITERATURE REVIEW

Habits

A WHO Collaborative Study conducted Cross-National Survey on Health Behaviour in

school-aged children, was to describe the oral hygiene habits (toothbrushing and flossing) of

11-year-old schoolchildren in 22 countries. At least 1300 school children participated in this

study. The children brushed most favorably in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, and

Norway (83-73% brushed twice a day). More-than-once-a-day toothbrushing was especially

uncommon (from 26 to 33%) among boys in Finland, Lithuania, Russia, Estonia, and Latvia.

Toothbrushing frequency differed significantly according to school performance in Canada,

the Czech Republic, Scotland, Poland, Northern Ireland, and Wales and between different

socio-economic groups in Northern Ireland, Wales, the Czech Republic, Scotland, Poland,

and Russia. Use of dental floss was rare. In general, flossing was less frequent among boys

than among girls. Daily flossing was most common among Canadian adolescents (25%).

Awareness

The Office of National Statistics together with the Universities of Birmingham, Dundee,

Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Wales conducted an Adult Dental Health survey in the UK.The

purpose of the survey is to identify the behavioural indicator whether people say they go to a

dentist for a regular dental check-up, an occasional dental check-up or only when they have

trouble with their teeth. The proportion of dentate adults in the UK who report attending for

regular dental check-ups has risen from 43% in 1978 to 59% in 1998. Older adults (over 55

years old) were the most likely to say they attend for regular dental check-ups. Many younger

adults (16–24) said they went to a dentist less often than 5 years previously, they were also

the least likely to say they attend for regular dental check-ups.

8

Knowledge

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou , China have started

a  study of oral health knowledge among college students. 3356 undergraduates from three

Jinzhou colleges take a closed-questionnaire on oral health. Results show that college students

lack the basic oral health knowledge.Only 59.7% of the students answered correctly.The

female students were significantly better than the male students.(55.9% for boys,62.7% for

girls).The medical students were significantly better than other students.(63.4% for the

medical students, 57.0% for other students.) The students who major in oral cavity were

significantly better than other medical students(66.8% for the students who major in oral

cavity,62.3% for other medical students). The rate of correctly answering significantly

increased with the increase of the educational span.

9

CHAPTER 3 – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter discusses the methods of collection & analyzing of data, the strategies put forth

and characteristics of the study.

Overview

This study is purposed to investigate the awareness of oral health among students. There are three

main aspects of a student’s awareness that this study will focus on: habits, status and awareness

and knowledge on oral health.

Site

This study was carried out in a co-ed national secondary school in Petaling Jaya. This site was

chosen as the area has a balanced population of students of various socio-economic

backgrounds. Sekolah Menengah Kebangasaan Taman S.E.A. was chosen as it fulfils the

criteria.

Participants

The participants of this study consist of students from various financial and educational

background from a Form 4 class that is 4 Cempaka. A total of 18 males and 22 females from the

class were involved in the study.

Instruments

Survey forms containing 10 questions for the execution of this study. Each item has 2 to 5

options.

Data Analysis

The survey data was collected and was then analyzed using graphs, charts and pie charts.

10

CHAPTER 4 – RESULTS

This chapter disscusses the findings of the Questionnare that were given out.Tables, bar charts

and pie charts were used to display the results.

Table 1: Gender Of Students In 4 Cempaka

Gender of student Number of Student %

Boys 18 45%

Girls 22 55%

Total 40 100%

Figure 1: Gender Of Students In 4 Cempaka

45%

55% Boys

Girls

Table 1 showed the gender of students in 4 Cempaka which comprised of 18 (45%) males and 22

(55%) female students.

11

Table 2: Ethnicity Of Students In 4 Cempaka

Race of student

Number of Student %

Number of Male Student %

Number of Female Student %

Malay 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%Chinese 35 87.5% 18 100.0% 17 77.3%Indian 4 10.0% 0 0.0% 4 18.2%Others 1 2.5% 0 0.0% 1 4.5%

Total 40100.0

% 18100.0

% 22 100.0%

Figure 2: Ethnicity Of Students In 4 Cempaka

88%

10%3%

MalayChineseIndianOthers

Figure 3: Ethnicity of Male students in 4 Cempaka Figure 4: Ethinicity of female students 4 Cempaka

100%

MalayChineseIndianOthers

77%

18% 5%

MalayChineseIndianOthers

In Figure 3, class 4 Cempaka consisted of 35 Chinese (87% )(18 male and 17 Female) , 4 Indians

(4 females, 18.2% ) and 1 female (4.5%) from the ‘Others’ category.

Table 3: Financial Status Based On Students’ Perspective

12

Financial status

Number of Student %

Number of Male Student %

Number of Female Student %

Very Good 1 2.5% 0 0.0% 1 4.5%Good 14 35.0% 7 38.9% 7 31.8%Moderate 22 55.0% 9 50.0% 13 59.1%Very Poor 3 7.5% 2 11.1% 1 4.5%

Total 40100.0

% 18100.0

% 22 100.0%

Figure 5: Financial Status Based On Students’ Perspective

3%

35%

55%

8%

Very Good

Good

Moderate

Very Poor

Figure 6: Financial Status of Male Students Figure 7: Financial Status of Female Students

39%

50%

11%

Very Good Good

Moderate Very Poor

5%

32%

59%

5%

Very Good Good

Moderate Very Poor

Based on the analysis of the students’ perception on financial status in Figure 3, the respondents in 4

Cempaka, a majority of them stated that they were from moderate financial status families (9 males

and 13 females). Only 35% of the class stated that they came from families of good financial status (7

male,7 female) and 7.5 % of the class (3 males and 2 females) claimed that they came from very poor

families. Interestingly, one female student stated that she came from a family of very good financial

status.

13

Analysis of the Response of the Class

This part of the study will illustrate the response of the class to the various questions of the

questionnaire based on the gender.

Figure 8: Frequency Of Brushing Teeth By Students

8%

65%

20%8%

Once

Twice

Thrice

After each meal

In Figure 8, Out of the total, 65% of the class brushed their teeth twice a day while 20% of the class

students brushed their teeth thrice a day. Of the remainder, 8% brushed their teeth once and 7% of

the class students brushed after every meal.

14

Table 4: Frequency Of Brushing Teeth By Students By Gender

  Male Female TotalOnce 3 16.7% 0 0.0% 3 7.5%Twice 14 77.8% 12 54.5% 26 65.0%Thrice 0 0.0% 8 36.4% 8 20.0%After Each Meal 1 5.6% 2 9.1% 3 7.5%Total 18 100.0% 22 100.0% 40 100.0%

Figure 9: Frequency Of Brushing Teeth By Students By Gender

Once Twice Thrice After Each Meal0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Male

Female

Nu

mb

er

of

Stu

de

nts

In Figure 9, of those respondents who brushed their teeth twice a day, 77.8% or 14 students were

male while 54.5% or 12 students were female. 36.4% or 8 female students brushed their teeth

thrice a day. There were no male students in this category. Only 3 students for those who brushed

their teeth after every meal. Of these, 2 were female students and one was a male student.

15

Figure 10: Teeth Flossing Among Students

18%

57%

25%

Yes

No

Sometimes

In Figure 10, out of the total respondents, 58% or 23 students did not floss their teeth. 17% or 7

students flossed their teeth while 25% or 10 students flossed their teeth sometimes.

Table 5: Teeth Flossing By Gender

  Male Female TotalYes 4 22.2% 3 13.6% 7 17.5%No 11 61.1% 12 54.5% 23 57.5%Sometimes 3 16.7% 7 31.8% 10 25.0%Total 18 100.0% 22 100.0% 40 100.0%

Figure 11: Teeth Flossing By Gender

Yes No Sometimes0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Male

Female

Nu

mb

er o

f S

tu

de

nt

Analysis of the responses to this question state in Figure 11 showed that a majority of students

from both gender did not floss their teeth. Of 40 respondents, 23 students or 57.5% did not floss

their teeth. Of these, 11 of them were males while 12 were females. Only 4 out of 18 male

students or 22.2% of the gender group practised flossing while 3 out of 22 female students or

13.6% of their gender group flossed their teeth. In addition, 3 male students or 16.7% of their

16

gender group and 7 female students or 31.8% of their gender group responded that they sometimes

floseds their teeth.

Figure 12: Tongue Cleaning Among Students

50%

33%

18%

Yes No Sometimes

In Figure 12, out of the total respondents, 20 students or 50% cleaned their tongues. 13 students or

32.5% did not clean their tongues while 7 students (17.5%) replied that they cleaned their tongue

sometimes.

Table 6: Tongue Cleaning By Gender

  Male Female TotalYes 8 44.4% 12 54.5% 20 50.0%No 5 27.8% 8 36.4% 13 32.5%Sometimes 5 27.8% 2 9.1% 7 17.5%Total 18 100.0% 22 100.0% 40 100.0%

Figure 13: Tongue Cleaning By Students

Yes No Sometimes0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Male

Female

Nu

mb

er o

f Stu

de

nt

Based on gender results in Figure 13, 8 out of 18 male students or 44.4% of their gender group

cleaned their tongues while 12 out of 22 or 54.5% of the female gender group did this. 5 male

students or 27.8% and 8 females or 36.4% of their respective gender groups did not clean their

17

tongues. For those who responded that they cleaned their tongues sometimes, 5 were male

respondents or 27.8% and 2 were females or 9.1% of their respective gender groups.

Figure 14: Time Taken To Brush Their Teeth By Students

50%50%

< 5 Minutes5 Minutes >

In Figure 14, out of the total, 50% of the class students brushed their teeth more than 5 minutes

while the other 50% brushed their teeth less than 5 minutes.

Table 7: Time Taken To Brush Their Teeth By Gender

Male Female Total< 5 Minutes 8 44.4% 12 54.5% 20 50.0%5 minutes > 10 55.6% 10 45.5% 20 50.0%Total 18 100.0% 22 100.0% 40 100.0%

Figure 15: Time Taken To Brush Their Teeth By Gender

< 5 Minutes 5 Minutes >0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Male

FemaleNu

mb

er o

f Stu

de

nt

In Figure 15, 18 male students,10 students (55.6%) brushed their teeth more than 5 minutes and 8

students (44.4%) brushed their teeth less than 5 minutes. For female students, 12 students or

18

54.5% brushed their teeth less than 5 minutes while 10 students or 45.5% brushed longer than 5

minutes.

Figure 16: Students Perception On Current Oral Hygiene Status

75%

15%10%

Very Poor

Poor

Good

Very Good

Excellent

In Figure 16, a total of 75% of the students thought that their oral hygiene status was good. Only 6 of

them thought their oral hygiene wass very good while 4 students thought they had excellent oral

hygience.

Table 8: Students Perception On Current Oral Hygiene Status By Gender

  Male Female TotalVery Poor 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%Poor 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%Good 16 88.9% 14 63.6% 30 75.0%Very Good 0 0.0% 6 27.3% 6 15.0%Excellent 2 11.1% 2 9.1% 4 10.0%Total 18 100.0% 22 100.0% 40 100.0%

Figure 17: Students Perception On Current Oral Hygiene Status By Gender

Very Poor Poor Good Very Good Excellent0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Male

Female

Nu

mb

er o

f S

tu

de

nts

19

In Figure 17, a total of 88.9% male and 63.6% of female students expressed that their oral health

status was good. 6 females thought that their oral hygiene status was very good while 4 students (2

male,2 female) thought they had excellent oral hygience.

Figure 18: Dental Visit By Students

85%

15%

Yes

No

Outcome statistics in Figure 18 indicated that 85% of students had visited a dentist. The remaining

15% had never visited a dentist.This was testimony that the majority of students were aware of the

need to have good oral hygiene.

Table 9: Dental Visit By Students By Gender

  Male Female TotalYes 17 94.4% 17 77.3% 34 85.0%No 1 5.6% 5 22.7% 6 15.0%

Total 18 100.0% 22 100.0% 40 100.0%

Figure 19: Dental Visit Of Students By Gender

20

Yes No0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Male

Female

Nu

mb

er o

f Stu

de

nt

From Figure 19, it was evident that 85% of the class (94.4% males and 77.3% females) had visited

the dentist. Only 6 students (1 male,5 females) have not visited a dentist before.

Table 10: Students’ Last Dental Visit

When was the last time you visited a dentist?Number of

student %

Less than one year ago 15 44.1%More than one year ago 9 26.5%More than two years ago 10 29.4%

TOTAL 34100.0

%

Figure 20: Students’ Last Dental Visit

44%

26%

29%

Less than one year agoMore than one year agoMore than two years ago

In Figure 20, of those who visited their dentists, 15 students or 44.1% of students visited their

dentist less than a year ago while 26.5% of that students last visited the dentist more than one

21

year but less than 2 years ago.Some 10 students or 29.4% last visited their dentist more than two

years ago.

Table 11: Students’ Last Dental Visit By Gender

  Male Female TotalLess Than One Year Ago 6 35.3% 9 52.9% 15 44.1%More Than One Year Ago 5 29.4% 4 23.5% 9 26.5%More Than Two Year Ago 6 35.3% 4 23.5% 10 29.4%Total 17 100.0% 17 100.0% 34 100.0%

Figure 21: Students’ Last Dental Visit By Gender

Less Than One Year Ago More Than One Year Ago More Than Two Year Ago0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Male

FemaleNu

mb

er

of

Stu

de

nts

In Figure 21, Of male students, 6 or 35.3% visited their dentists less than a year ago. Of female

students,9 or 52.9% visited their dentists less than a year ago. This showed that more female

22

students rather than male students visited the dentists within a year. For those who visited their

dentists within one to two years, 5 students or 29.4% were males while 4 or 23.5% were female.

Statistics showed that 6 out of 17 males or 35.3% visited their dentists more than two years ago.

Comparatively, only 4 female students or 23.5% were in this category.

Table 12: Student’s Purpose For A Dental Visit

What was the purpose of your visit?Number of

student %

Examination, prevention 23 67.6%

Need for a filling/extraction 2 5.9%

Special treatment i.e. endodontics,prosthodontics,orthodontics 9 26.5%

TOTAL 34 100.0%

Figure 22: Student’s Purpose For A Dental Visit

68%

6%

26%Examination, prevention

Need for a filling/extraction

Special treatment i.e. endodontics,prosthodontics, orthodon-tics

23

In Figure 22, of the reasons for a dental visit, a majority of 23 students or.67.9% visited the dentist

for oral examination and prevention. Some 9 students or 26.5% went for special treatment while 2

students or 5.9% visited the dentist for fillings and extractions.

Table 13:Dental Visits By Gender

  Male Female TotalExamination,Prevention 11 64.7% 12 70.6% 23 67.6%Need For a Filling/Extraction 2 11.8% 0 0.0% 2 5.9%Special Treatment 4 23.5% 5 29.4% 9 26.5%Total 17 100.0% 17 100.0% 34 100.0%

Figure 23: Dental Visits By Gender

Examination,Prevention Need For a Filling/Extraction

Special Treatment0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Male

Female

Nu

mb

er

of

Stu

de

nts

In Figure 23, of those who visited their dentists for examination and prevention of cavities, 11

students or 64.7% were males while 12 or 70.6% were female students. Only 2 male students or

11.8% visited the dentist for a tooth filling or extraction. The balance of 9 students of which 4

24

were males (23.5%) and 5 (29.4%) were females sought special dental treatment such as

orthodontics .

Figure 24: Students Perception Of Toothbrush Quality On Their Oral Health

70%

10%

20%

Yes No Maybe

In Figure 24, a total of 28 students or 70% were of the opinion that a good quality

toothbrush was important for the maintenance of good oral hygiene. 4 students or 10%,

however, disagreed. The remaining 8 students or 20% expressed a ‘maybe’ response.

Table 14: Students Perception Of Toothbrush Quality On Their Oral Health By Gender

 Male Female Total

Yes 12 66.7% 16 72.7% 28 70.0%No 2 11.1% 2 9.1% 4 10.0%Maybe 4 22.2% 4 18.2% 8 20.0%Total 18 100.0% 22 100.0% 40 100.0%

25

Figure 25: Students Perception Of Toothbrush Quality On Their Oral Health By Gender

Yes No Maybe0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Male

Female

Nu

mb

er O

f Stu

de

nts

In Figure 25, a majority of the students (66.7% males,72.7%) agreed that a good quality

toothbrush can positively affect their oral hygiene, only 4 students (2 males,2 females)

disagreed. Some 8 students (4 male,4 female) responded with a ‘maybe’response.

Figure 26: Students Perception On Brushing Method

83%

8% 10%

Yes

No

Don't Care

In Figure 26, 33 students or 82.5% of all respondents perceived that a good brushing method

was imperative for maintaining good oral hygiene. Some 3 students or 7.5% responded

negatively while 4 students or 10% indicated that they were not concerned with it.

Table 15: Students Perception On Brushing Method By Gender

  Male Female TotalYes 14 77.8% 19 86.4% 33 82.5%No 1 5.6% 2 9.1% 3 7.5%Don't Care 3 16.7% 1 4.5% 4 10.0%Total 18 100.0% 22 100.0% 40 100.0%

Figure 27: Students Perception On Brushing Method By Gender

26

Yes No Don't Care0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Male

FemaleNu

mb

er O

f S

tu

de

nts

In Figure 27, the analysis by gender showed of those who concurred with the statement

that a good brushing method was important for good oral hygience maintenance; 19

students or 85.4% were female students while 14 or 77.8% were male students. Of those

who disagreed, 2 or 9.1% were female students and 1 or 5.6% was a male. Of the students

who were not concerned at all with this statement, 3 or 16.7% were males while 1 or 4.5%

was a female.

Figure 28: Students Knowledge On Fluoride

13%

85%

3%

Pleasant Taste

Soft Feeling

Prevent Cavities

Price

In Figure 28, 34 students or 85% of the respondents displayed knowledge that fluoride was

important in preventing cavities, 5 students or 12% of the sample size thought it had a pleasant taste

and 1 student thought that it was value for money from the price perspective. No one responded to

the option that the toothpaste felt soft due to the flouride content.

Table 16: Students Knowledge On Fluoride By Gender

  Male Female TotalPleasant Taste 0 0.0% 5 22.7% 5 12.5%Soft Feeling 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%Prevents Cavities 18 100.0% 16 72.7% 34 85.0%Price 0 0.0% 1 4.5% 1 2.5%Total 18 100.0% 22 100.0% 40 100.0%

27

Figure 29: Students Knowledge On Fluoride By Gender

Pleasant Taste Soft Feeling Prevents Cavities Price0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Male

Female

Nu

mb

er O

f S

tu

de

nts

In Figure 29, all the male students showed awareness that fluoride was added to toothpaste to

prevent cavities. However, not all female students agreed on this statement. Only 16 female

students or 72.7% concured with this statement. 5 female students or 22.7% of them agreed that

fluoride was added to the toothpaste so that it can have a pleasant taste while 1 female student or

4.5% agreed it was added in for pricing purpose .

Figure 30: Students Perception Of Tooth Extraction As a Preferred Treatment

38%

63%

Yes

No

In Figure 30, some 25 student or 63% disagreed with this statement while 15 students or 35%

agreed with this statement.

Table 17: Students Perception Of Tooth Extraction As a Preferred Treatment By Gender

  Male Female TotalYes 5 27.8% 10 45.5% 15 37.5%No 13 72.2% 12 54.5% 25 62.5%Total 18 100.0% 22 100.0% 40 100.0%

Figure 31: Students Perception Of Tooth Extraction As a Preferred Treatment By Gender

28

Yes No0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Male

Female

Nu

mb

er O

f Stu

de

nts

In Figure 31, 10 female students or 45.5% agreed while 5 male students or 27.8% subscribed to this

statement. They believed that extraction was the only viable option. However, of the 25 students

who disagreed, 13 students or 72.2% were males while 12 students or 54.5% were females.They

believed there were alternative treatments available.

CHAPTER 5 - CONCLUSION AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

Introduction

The following chapter begins with a brief summary of the findings of students’ status and

awareness of oral hygiene in Chapter 4. This chapter will discuss the significance of the

study, its limitations, its implications, recomendations and future research.

Summary of the Study

The study was carried out to investigate the status and awareness of oral hygiene among

students. The overall results based on gender will be explained in detail in this chapter.

Findings

29

The results and discussions of Chapter 4 reveal that the habit cultivated by students for good

oral hygiene was at the same level for both genders. It can be concluded that both genders

practice correct oral hygiene habits except for flossing. Flossing is not cultivated as a habit of

students. This could be due to the long length of time required to do flossing. Besides that,

there was still a minority who were unaware that they have not cultivated good oral hygiene

habits. This might be due to ignorace or non-interest in maintaining good oral hygiene habits.

Apart from that, it is clearly seen that most of the female students were more aware than male

students on their oral hygiene. We can see that most of the female students go for check ups

regularly and do special treatment for they believed that good of oral hygiene helps to

improve one’s appearence. Eventhough the male students are not as aware as the female

students, both genders state that their oral hygiene is good.

Last but not least, majority of the male students have more knowledge on oral health than

female students as majority of the male students answered the question correctly while most

of the female students answered wrongly. This may be due to their perception of qualities and

method used by dentist were not understood by the students. This is also supported by the

study carried by The Second Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou ,

China colleges which showed that college students lack the basic oral health knowledge

Implications

From the study,we can deduce that students from 4 Cempaka are aware about the

importance of good oral hygiene though there appears that there exist a handful of students

who are still unaware about the importance of oral hygiene and that they have yet to

cultivate good oral habits.

30

Students who are not aware of their oral hygiene should read articles on oral hygiene in

books or browse the internet. Additionally, teachers and parents should assist these

students by impressing upon them an awareness on the importance of oral hygiene. Our

goverment could also help to instill the awareness of oral hygiene via the school

curriculum and through public campaigns.

Students must be made to understand that good habits and knowledge of oral hygiene can

help improve their oral health status and also at the same time, enhance their appearence

and confidence. This is crucial in this era where competition is keen in order to secure

positions and jobs in good corporations.

Lastly, an indepth knowledge about oral hygiene must be instilled from young to ensure they

can enjoy good oral health when they attend school or become young adults. If students have

the knowledge and awareness of good oral hygiene and practices healthy habits such as teeth

brushing and tongue cleaning, they can be assured of a life free from tooth decay and loss as

well as other dental problems.

Limitation

There are limitations in this study. Firstly, the sample size of this survey of 40 students is too

small. This size is not representative to indicate the oral health of the students of SMK Taman

SEA generally. As such the conclusions will not be reflective nor can be accepted is true or

practical to be used as policy guidelines.

Secondly, this miniscule study would not be representative of all secondary students of

Malaysia. In the same vein, it can hardly be used as a benchmark to compare oral hygiene

standards on a regional or global basis.

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As the respondents are still at a tender age, their maturity level may affect how they interpret

the questions in the questionnaire. The range of maturity of the respondents. As such the

standard deviation for this study will unavoidaby be large.

Finally, as the study is done in an urban area where oral hygiene is so much higher, it cannot

be used to reflect the level of oral hygiene in the rural areas of the country.

Recommendation and Future Research

The research was carried out only on a small scale. We hope future researchers can carry out a

similar study but on a larger scale so that it could be more representative and reflective of the

status of oral health among secondary school students. We are sure such finding will be more

useful to be use as inputs for policy consideration of the goverment to elevate the status of

oral health among secondary school students nationally.

By extention, we would also like to recommend that a similar study be conducted on the

Malaysian public so that we can have national level statistics towards planning for a more

comprehensive health policy for all Malaysians.

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REFERENCES

Adult dental health survey

Retrieved excerpt 13 June 2011 from http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v190/n4/abs/

4800918a.html

Ameeta Nanda, Navin A. Ingle. (2002). Study of fear of dentistry: JIDA; 73:104-10.    

Chawla H.S. (1985). Dental health promotion, reaching the needy: JIDA. 57:387-95.  

Dentist - How Often Should You See the Dentist for Check Ups and Cleanings

Retrieved excerpt 3 March 2011 from http://dentistry.about.com/od/dentalfactsfaqs/

f/checkupfrequent.htm

Dummer MH, Addy M, Kicks R, Anne kingdom. (1987). The effect of social class on the

prevalence of caries, plaque gingivitis and pocking in 11 - 12 year old children in

South Wales. J Dent; 15;185-90.       

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Eight Darned Good Reasons to Floss Your Teeth

Retrieved excerpt 3 March 2011 from http://ezinearticles.com/?Eight-Darned-Good-

Reasons-to-Floss-Your-Teeth&id=151436

Leo Polo CT. Carol man- der, Christine Utting, Kaden Watkins and Rock W.P. ( 1991). the

world health organization goals for oral health A progress report. Community Dent

Health:8:245 -51.       

National Oral Health Organization. (1986). National Oral Health Policy: JIDA ;58:397-401.  

Oral Care Information, Articles & Resources | Colgate Oral & Dental Health Info

Retrieved excerpt 3 March 2011 from http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/

Information/ Articles/Oral-and-Dental-Health- Basics/Oral-Hygiene/Oral-Hygiene-

Basics/article/Taking-Care-of-Your-Teeth.cvsp

Oral health behavior patterns among Tanzanian university students: a repeat cross-sectional

survey.Retrieve from 3 March 2011. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6831/1/2

Oral Hygiene Habits of 11-year-old Schoolchildren in 22 European Countries and Canada.

Retrieved excerpt 13 June 2011 from http://jdr.sagepub.com/content/76/9/1602.short

Szatko F, Wierzbicka M, Dybibańska E, Struycka I, Iwonicka- Frankowska E. (2004) Oral

health of Polish three-year-olds and mothers’ oral health-related knowledge.

Community Dent Health, 21(2): 175-80.

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The Analysis of Survey on 3356 Jinzhou College Students' Oral Health Knowledge

Retrieved excerpt 13 June 2011 from http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-

JZYX200704012.htm

Toothache Causes & Solutions - A Complete Consumer Guide

Retrieved excerpt 3 March 2011 from http://www.yourdentistryguide.com/toothache-

causes/

Visiting the Dentist - Reasons to Visit the Dentist

Retrieved excerpt 3 March 2011 from http://dentistry.about.com/od/dentalhealth/

tp/visit_dentist.htm

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EXAMPLE SURVEY PAPER

SMK Taman SEA

This questionnaire was done by the Form 6 students of SMK Taman SEA, Petaling Jaya, Selangor as a Research & Development study paper for the Year 2011.

Its purpose is to evaluate and to investigate the trend of oral hygiene of people and to instil awareness to the importance of maintaining proper oral hygiene and ensure good oral health.

Form: 1 2 3 4 5 6

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Race: Malay Chinese Indian Others

Gender: Male Female

Financial Status: Very Good Good Moderate Very Poor

1. How many times do you brush your teeth a day? Once Twice Thrice After each meal

2. Do you floss your teeth? Yes No Sometimes

3. Do you clean your tongue? Yes No Sometimes

4. How long do you brush your teeth? <5 minutes >5 minutes

5. How do you describe your current oral health status? Very poor Poor Good Very good Excellent

6. Have you visited the dentist before? Yes No

For those who answered “Yes” for Question 6When was the last time you visited a dentist?

Less than one year ago More than one year ago More than two years ago

What was the purpose of your visit? Examination, prevention Need for a filling/extraction Special treatment i.e. endodontics, prosthodontics, orthodonticsEndodontics The branch of dentistry that deals with reformation of teeth by using bracesProsthodonticsThe branch of dentistry that deals with the replacement of missing teeth and bridges,dentures,or other artificial devices.Orthodontics

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The branch of dentistry that deals with diseases of the tooth root,dental pulp,and surrounding tissue(Gum).

7. Do you think it is important to use a good quality toothbrush? Yes No Maybe

8. Do you think a proper method of brushing teeth is important? Yes No Don’t Care

9. Fluoride is added to toothpaste because of Pleasant taste Soft feeling Prevents cavities Price

10. If your tooth is very painful do you think that the extraction is the only possible treatment?

Yes No

THANK YOUYour time and effort is greatly appreciated for helping us complete this questionnaire.

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SURVEY PAPERS DID BY STUDENTS OF

4 CEMPAKA

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