title: Oral health habits and periodontal health among a group of university students in Kenya.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the oral health habits and periodontal health among a group of university students in Kenya. The study comprised 243 randomly selected first year students, mean age 23 years, at the University of Nairobi. Questionnaire response showed that 39% of the participants had visited a dentist before, mainly for extraction. Sixteen per cent said they visited a dentist at least once a year and 96% said they brushed daily. Clinical examination was done in a room with natural daylight using the WHO criteria. Plaque was visible on 35% of the surfaces. 11% of gingival sites examined bled on probing. Only one participant had pocket depth greater than or equal to 4 mm. Supra- and sub-gingival calculus was recorded at 18% of index tooth surfaces. The study will be considered as a baseline for later studies on oral health trends in similar populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Surgery, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chindia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valderhaug
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ng'ang'a
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000453:epidemiology; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000453:epidemiology; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009911:Oral Hygiene Index; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires