title: Eating habits of patients with cleft lip and palate terated with fixed appliances.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health education, built on the basis of various models as a lifelong process, has a considerable impact on eating habits. Correct nutritional patterns are particularly important during the period of intense growth and adolescence. The need to observe dietary recommendations concerns healthy, as well as sick persons, especially those with chronic diseases. To-date the data on the dietary habits of patients with cleft lip and palate during orthodontic treatment have been scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to determine the eating habits of patients with cleft lip and palate before and during orthodontic treatment with a fixed appliance.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study covered 125 patients with cleft lip and palate, aged 14 to 31. The research tool was an own questionnaire assessing the dietary behaviour and oral hygiene habits during the treatment with a fixed orthodontic appliance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the course of the orthodontic treatment with a fixed appliance, 79 patients (57.6%) did not change their eating patterns and 32 patients (24%) changed them to a moderate degree. The mean of 53 patients (42.7%) changed their hygienic habits considerably. The number of meals remained the same, however in the period when patients suffered pain after orthodontic adjustment appointments, the number of persons having 4-5 meals a day decreased by 32%. It is worth considering that no statistically significant changes were recorded as regards the habit of having sweet snacks and the insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables. Difficulties with correct oral hygiene were reported after the consumption of e.g. spinach (59.8%), cucumber (57.6%), berries (54.4%), meat (58.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eating habits of a considerable percentage of patients with a cleft defect, before or during the treatment with a fixed appliance, do not comply with healthy nutrition recommendations. The dietary education of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment is necessary to ensure proper oral health and prevent diet-related illnesses.
authors.affiliation: Instytut Matki i Dziecka, Kasprzaka 17a, 01-211 Warszawa, Poland, magdalena.wysocka@imid.med.pl.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wysocka
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cudziło
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kawala
authors.forename: Przemysław
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kopczyński