Knowledge about oral health in adolescents from the city of Ypacaraí

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescence is one of the stages of life in which there is a greater risk of dental problems; From the beginning of puberty, the manifestation of hormonal, psychological and social changes lead to the appearance of dental caries and gingivitis. Objective: Measure knowledge about oral health in adolescents who attend educational institutions in the city of Ypacaraí. Material and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was carried out in 2023, with 347 students of both sexes from 3 educational institutions participating. They completed a questionnaire survey with questions about oral hygiene habits, caries and gingivitis, cariogenicity of foods, action of fluoride in the oral cavity. Results: Regarding the level of knowledge according to sex, there were no revealing differences; however, when analyzing the knowledge according to age, it was found that at the bad level there are differences, the younger the age, the less knowledge. As for the regular level, younger age, greater knowledge; and, finally, at the good level there is no constant, but rather, the older the age, the less knowledge and the younger the knowledge, the less knowledge, with adolescents aged 13 and 14 being those who presented the greatest knowledge. Conclusions: It is worth emphasizing the importance of oral health promotion and education at this stage of life. This research aims to reiterate the value of health education and its care in the full development of adolescents.