2001 Volume 51 Issue 2 Pages 145-149
In the previous study, we reported that 95.6% of senior high school students who were diagnosed with dental caries understood that they had cavities. However, only 42.0% of the students understood the diagnosis of gingivitis. Thus, we concluded that senior high school students had less understanding of gingivitis compared to dental caries. On the other hand, among the students who were advised to visit dental office for treatment, only 44.3% and 55.9% received treatment for dental caries and gingivitis respectively. In order to enhance the understanding of gingivitis in senior high school students and increase the follow-up dental treatment, oral health education was performed on the site of the annual dental health examination. The subjects were the 1st grade students of one of the public senior high schools in Hiroshima City. They learned about gingivitis and dental calculus by being shown color photos immediately after the examination. Then they were asked to write down the results the dental health examination on their own health record cards. In addition, the written notice informing students about dental treatment was improved. In order to investigate a influence of oral health education, a questionnaire was performed 1 and 4 months later, and the results were compared with those of 1st grade students of the previous year. As a result, the ratio of students who understood the diagnosis of gingivitis increased from 50% to 72%, but despite this the ratio of students who visited a dental office did not change. Thus, we suggest that health education including both oral health and lifestyle, are necessary for senior high school students.
