Condição de saúde bucal, comportamentos, autopercepção e impactos associados em estudantes universitários moradores de residências estudantis

Abstract

In regard to Healthy University projects, an important strategy is the assessment of university students’ health status. In Brazil, a vulnerable group is the one living in university student residences. Objective: This descriptive cross-sectional study aims to investigate the oral health status, behaviors, self-perception and its associated impacts among public university students living in student residences. Material and method: The study population consisted of 68 students who live in four university residences from the Federal University of Goiás in the city of Goiânia. Data were collected through oral clinical examination and interviews. Result: The most prevalent buccal condition was dental caries, and 74.6% of the students had treatment needs for this condition. The worst periodontal condition observed was dental calculus (50.8%). Most of the students reported that they brush their teeth three times a day, use dental floss and need for dental treatment. Dental pain in the last six months was reported by 33.8%, gingival bleeding by 41.2%, and 19.1% had sought the university dental service for treatment. Sugar consumption between meals was very high and almost 18% were smokers. More than half of the students (51.4%) reported being indifferent or dissatisfied with their mouth and teeth. The greatest oral health impact was difficulty for eating or drinking, and 19.1% reported to have missed classes due to oral disorders. Conclusion: Students presented high percentage of treatment needs for caries, good oral hygiene habits, and negative self‑perception of their oral health condition.