Oral health and school performance in elementary students: A cross-sectional study in a group of Iranian students, Tehran, Iran

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Dental health plays a key role in the overall health status and quality of life in children. Consequences of dental diseases in children may result in impairments of daily life activities. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between dental health and education...

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Main Authors: Seyed Jalal Pourhashemi, Mehrsa Paryab, Kiarash Kheirandish, Mohammad Javad Kharazi-Fard
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Kerman University of Medical Sciences 2015-10-01
Series:Journal of Oral Health and Oral Epidemiology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://johoe.kmu.ac.ir/index.php/johoe/article/view/144/117
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author Seyed Jalal Pourhashemi
Mehrsa Paryab
Kiarash Kheirandish
Mohammad Javad Kharazi-Fard
author_facet Seyed Jalal Pourhashemi
Mehrsa Paryab
Kiarash Kheirandish
Mohammad Javad Kharazi-Fard
author_sort Seyed Jalal Pourhashemi
collection DOAJ
description BACKGROUND AND AIM: Dental health plays a key role in the overall health status and quality of life in children. Consequences of dental diseases in children may result in impairments of daily life activities. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between dental health and educational performances in elementary students. METHODS: A total of 300 elementary students from the second to fifth grades in ninth district of Tehran, Iran, were included in this study according to inclusion criteria. Questionnaire gathering information about the students’ demographic background, medical and dental histories was sent to their parents. The students’ academic performances were assessed based on the school absence in relation to dental problems, their school grades and doing homework. Oral health status was assessed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) standards using caries and oral hygiene indices. Data were analyzed by the Pearson’s correlation and linear regression analysis. All statistical levels were made at 0.05 for the Pearson’s correlation and 0.1 for linear regression analysis. RESULTS: School test grades and school absences due to dental problems were statistically associated with oral hygiene index (OHI) of the students (P = 0.010 and P = 0.040, respectively). The indices of dental caries in primary or permanent teeth were not significantly associated with school performances (P ≥ 0.140). The analysis revealed that the factors i.e., housing status and living with the parents are statistically associated with the oral health indices (P = 0.050 and P =0.080; respectively) and on the other hand with school performances (P = 0.020 and P = 0.010; respectively). CONCLUSION: Children with poorer oral health status were more likely to perform poorly in school. Socio-economic status of the students affects negatively both school performances and oral health care. Also, oral health status and dental problems may cause deterioration in educational conditions.
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spelling doaj.art-8cdf66d6ebbe4e71952afcb58c2f6fa02022-12-22T03:38:10ZengKerman University of Medical SciencesJournal of Oral Health and Oral Epidemiology2322-13722015-10-01426470Oral health and school performance in elementary students: A cross-sectional study in a group of Iranian students, Tehran, IranSeyed Jalal Pourhashemi0Mehrsa Paryab1Kiarash Kheirandish2Mohammad Javad Kharazi-Fard3Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranAssistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics Dentistry, School of Dentistry, International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranPrivate Practice, International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranAssistant Professor, Epidemiologist, Dental Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranBACKGROUND AND AIM: Dental health plays a key role in the overall health status and quality of life in children. Consequences of dental diseases in children may result in impairments of daily life activities. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between dental health and educational performances in elementary students. METHODS: A total of 300 elementary students from the second to fifth grades in ninth district of Tehran, Iran, were included in this study according to inclusion criteria. Questionnaire gathering information about the students’ demographic background, medical and dental histories was sent to their parents. The students’ academic performances were assessed based on the school absence in relation to dental problems, their school grades and doing homework. Oral health status was assessed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) standards using caries and oral hygiene indices. Data were analyzed by the Pearson’s correlation and linear regression analysis. All statistical levels were made at 0.05 for the Pearson’s correlation and 0.1 for linear regression analysis. RESULTS: School test grades and school absences due to dental problems were statistically associated with oral hygiene index (OHI) of the students (P = 0.010 and P = 0.040, respectively). The indices of dental caries in primary or permanent teeth were not significantly associated with school performances (P ≥ 0.140). The analysis revealed that the factors i.e., housing status and living with the parents are statistically associated with the oral health indices (P = 0.050 and P =0.080; respectively) and on the other hand with school performances (P = 0.020 and P = 0.010; respectively). CONCLUSION: Children with poorer oral health status were more likely to perform poorly in school. Socio-economic status of the students affects negatively both school performances and oral health care. Also, oral health status and dental problems may cause deterioration in educational conditions.http://johoe.kmu.ac.ir/index.php/johoe/article/view/144/117StudentsOral HealthDental CariesSchoolPerformance
spellingShingle Seyed Jalal Pourhashemi
Mehrsa Paryab
Kiarash Kheirandish
Mohammad Javad Kharazi-Fard
Oral health and school performance in elementary students: A cross-sectional study in a group of Iranian students, Tehran, Iran
Journal of Oral Health and Oral Epidemiology
Students
Oral Health
Dental Caries
School
Performance
title Oral health and school performance in elementary students: A cross-sectional study in a group of Iranian students, Tehran, Iran
title_full Oral health and school performance in elementary students: A cross-sectional study in a group of Iranian students, Tehran, Iran
title_fullStr Oral health and school performance in elementary students: A cross-sectional study in a group of Iranian students, Tehran, Iran
title_full_unstemmed Oral health and school performance in elementary students: A cross-sectional study in a group of Iranian students, Tehran, Iran
title_short Oral health and school performance in elementary students: A cross-sectional study in a group of Iranian students, Tehran, Iran
title_sort oral health and school performance in elementary students a cross sectional study in a group of iranian students tehran iran
topic Students
Oral Health
Dental Caries
School
Performance
url http://johoe.kmu.ac.ir/index.php/johoe/article/view/144/117
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AT kiarashkheirandish oralhealthandschoolperformanceinelementarystudentsacrosssectionalstudyinagroupofiranianstudentstehraniran
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