Oral Health at ithaca college

1. Oral Health at ithaca college Bryan Klotz

2. Background • Maintaining good oral hygiene is crucial in order to fend off tooth decay and many diseases of the mouth. Cavity rates in young adults are higher than in other populations and this could be because they are getting inadequate dental care after leaving home. College is a transition period of becoming an adult, increasing independence and developing life long habits, but good oral hygiene habits don’t seem to be a top priority. Along with the freedom of being in college comes over consumption of sugary foods and drinks or a demanding social life that keeps students from flossing. Therefore, it’s no surprise that college students are known for having the worst dental habits. In college, students no longer have their parents around to make sure they are staying healthy and hygienic. Additionally, college students often don't have dental insurance or they are covered by their parents and only go to the dentist when they are back home. Often times, tooth decay can go unnoticed for a long time until it reaches the nerves inside the tooth. If college students are no longer getting regular checkups, a cavity might not be noticed until the person is in need of a root canal and having wisdom teeth that still need to be extracted can turn into a great deal of pain and suffering. • Purpose of Survey • The purpose of this survey is to find out if students at Ithaca College are taking oral hygiene seriously and if there is any reluctance to go to the dentist when away from home. The data shows what dental care these students have had in the past and how likely they are to continue seeking dental care in the future. Additionally, the survey evaluates what kinds of stigma these students have associated with going to the dentist, if any. With the results of this survey I will be able to get an idea of how important oral hygiene is to students at Ithaca College and whether education on proper oral care could be beneficial to this population. • Survey Methods • This survey was taken using SurveyMonkey.com and a sample of convenience. An e-mail containing the survey link was sent to a sample of 15 classmates. A follow-up was sent a week later to the students in the class to remind them to take this survey. My survey had a good response with 14 students taking the survey. Survey Background

3. survey Results

4. Questions and Responses • Results • The data from this sample shows that most of these students are making an effort to clean the leftover food from their teeth on a regular basis. 93% of the respondents said that they brush their teeth twice a day. 92% said they floss once a day or less and one person responded that s/he flosses after every meal. One person chose not to respond on how often s/he flosses and it is unclear whether or not this person does or not. Mouthwash is a good way to fight off gingivitis and rinse the teeth. About 84% said they use mouthwash once a day or less. One said s/he never uses itand two people did not answer the question. Although no one is brushing their teeth after every meal, these students are demonstrating good oral hygiene overall. • Discussion Oral Hygiene

5. Questions and Responses • Results • This data set shows that 43% of the students surveyed have never had a cavity. This could be due the fact that this generation was exposed to fluoridated tap water as children which made the teeth stronger during development. However, the majority of this sample has had somewhere between one and six cavities. Having a history of cavities puts a person in at a higher risk of getting another one. These students should be aware of what causes cavities and how they can prevent tooth decay in the future. • Discussion Cavities

6. Questions and Responses • Results • A root canal is a treatment used when tooth decay has spread to the inside of the tooth and disintegrated the nerve tissue. A very low percent of respondents have had this surgery before which is a good sign. It might be assumed that the 82% who never had a root canal have a history of good oral health and are seeing a dentist regularly who can notice cavities before the damage is so extensive that a root canal is required. • Discussion Root Canals

7. Questions and Responses • Results • Repairing a chipped tooth is another procedure done by the dentist. Fixing broken teeth is one way the dentist works to keep ones smile attractive and bright. Since 36% of these students have had an experience where a tooth was accidentally chipped, it is a relatively common occurrence. It is likely that all 5 of these people have had some kind of work done to fix the damage. This shows that even if students maintain good oral hygiene when they go to college, there is still a possibility of a unexpected emergency. • Discussion Chipped Teeth

8. Questions and Responses • Results • Often times, wisdom teeth can come in at the wrong angle and push up against the other molars and cause discomfort. Four of the survey respondents have had the wisdom teeth taken out for this reason. Many of the others probably have not had them even come in yet. Once again, this shows the importance of students having some kind of dental insurance or access to professional oral care when they are away at college. • Discussion Wisdom Teeth

9. Results • Questions and Responses • Although going to an appointment with the dentist is not everyone’s favorite thing to do, most of the sample recognized the importance of regular check-ups. There were two people who responded that they would rather go less than once a year and this represents the small percentage of people who have a fear of going to the dentist or don’t understand the important services they provide. With annual X-rays and cleanings the dentist will notice tooth decay and other problems before the problem escalates. A person might not notice a cavity until more expensive and painful procedures are required to prevent further damage. • Discussion Frequency of Visits to the Dentist

10. Responses • Organizational Structure • Discussion • Only 36% responded that nothing about the dentist makes them nervous and anxious. This shows that there is definitely a stigma against going to the dentist among this population and in some cases it is an actual fear. Many people may be avoiding the dentist and missing appointments because of anxiety. One person claimed to be terrified of dental hygienists specifically and another said that everything about the dentist brings discomfort. About 50% of the people had a fear of pain, including thinking the tools look or sound scary and being afraid of having to come back for painful procedures. Two respondents expressed that they have memories where going to the dentist resulted in painful surgery and Novocain side effects. Although they may know the importance of having regular check ups, it appears that most students do not want to go because they think there is a high risk of being in pain while there. Opinions on Going to the Dentist

11. Prevention • Summary • These students demonstrated that they have an understanding of what steps need to be taken to maintain good oral health. The majority of these students are brushing, flossing and using mouthwash on a regular basis. In addition, many of them have had important procedures done by the dentist in the past and realize the importance of having regular check-ups. Although most of the students in this sample seem to know the importance of having check ups and taking care of the teeth, there is still a stigma about going to the dentist and many people are afraid of it. As young adults, college students should be able to overcome these fears and find a dental care provider who is gentle and does not work in a frightening environment. Once again, prevention education will provide people with the tools to keep the mouth healthy so the dentist does not discover any complications that with require these painful operations. With proper diet and hygiene these painful visits to the dentist, which people are so afraid of, can be avoided. In addition, having dental insurance should be required of all students at Ithaca College because one can never know when an accidental spill might result in a chipped tooth or even worse damage to the mouth. Conclusion The purpose of this survey was to find out if the students were in need of education on proper oral hygiene. Since many students have had cavities in the past, the community could benefit from some information on how to prevent this from happening again. Perhaps, complimentary toothbrushes and floss could be given out at the Hammond Health Center in the same way they do with condoms. Along with them, pamphlets on how tooth decay and gum diseases can be prevented by eating right and cleaning the mouth in some way after meals could be given out.