Prevalence and Factors Associated With Oral and Hand Hygiene Practices Among Adolescents in Malaysia: Findings From the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2017.

This cross-sectional national survey aimed to determine the prevalence of oral and hand hygiene practices as well as associations between sociodemographic characteristics and oral and hygiene practice among adolescents aged 13 to 17 years during the past 30 days. A validated self-administered bilingual questionnaire adapted from the Malaysian Global School Health Survey with computer-scanable answer sheets was distributed to 30 823 adolescents attending government secondary schools in Malaysia; and 89.2% responded to the questionnaire given. More than 80% (87.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 86.24-87.96) of the adolescents reported that they had brushed their teeth at least twice daily and had always washed their hands after using the toilet (86.6%; 95% CI = 85.85-87.36). The odds of adolescents who brushed their teeth at least 2 times daily and washed their hands after using the toilet was significantly associated with sociodemographic characteristics. This study highlights the need to further improve the effectiveness of current oral health promotion programs with consideration for sociodemographic characteristics.

A school-based fluoride mouth rinsing programme in Sarawak: a 3-year field study.

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to assess the impact of fluoride mouth rinsing on caries experience in a cohort of schoolchildren 3 years after implementation. METHODS: 270 children aged 8-9 years from four schools in Sarawak were selected at baseline. Baseline data was collected to ensure that the selected schools did not differ significantly. Children from two schools rinsed with 0.2% sodium fluoride under supervision, while those from the other schools did not. RESULTS: After 3 years, 242 schoolchildren remained in the study. At the end of the study, the mean DMFT for the test group was 2.3 (95% CI, 1.93-2.67) while the mean DMFT for the control group was 4.01 (95% CI, 3.39-4.63). The mean DMFS for the test group was 3.40 (95% CI, 2.68-4.12) while the mean DMFS for the control group was 6.67 (95% CI, 5.47-7.87). After 3 years, 24.2% of those in the test group remained caries free compared to 11.5% in the control group. The risk of developing caries decreased 0.52 times among the children from the 'test' group exposed to the fluoride mouth rinsing programme as compared to the unexposed 'control' group (RR = 0.48, 95% CI, 0.26-0.85). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The findings show that a school-based weekly 0.2% sodium fluoride mouth rinsing programme is an effective caries preventive measure and should be implemented in fluoride-deficient areas as a means of reducing the prevalence of dental caries in these communities.