Hand hygiene is one of the most important measures available to prevent infectious diseases such as COVID-19, and it is recommended that individuals wash their hands periodically before and after meals, after using toilets, before preparing food at home, at schools, and in public places. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between oral hygiene and hand hygiene in Korean adolescents. Data from 57,303 adolescents who participated in the 2019 Korea Youth Risk Behavior web-based survey were analyzed to determine the relationship between oral hygiene and hand hygiene. A complex sample logistic regression analysis was performed to determine association between toothbrushing behavior and handwashing practices. According to the results of this study, adolescents who brushed their teeth after lunch were 1.48 times more likely to practice handwashing before lunch than were those who did not brush their teeth after lunch (p < 0.001). In addition, the odds ratios adjusted for gender, grade, school type, and residence were found to be 1.87 (p < 0.001). Moreover, these adjusted odds ratios were higher in students who received personal hygiene education (OR: 1.98, p < 0.001). Oral hygiene practices were found to be related to personal hygiene, as assessed by handwashing, in Korean adolescents. Additional studies are needed to develop ways of improving the hygiene and health of adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether allergic rhinitis is associated with periodontal disease in a representative sample of elderly Korean people that was adjusted for socio-demographic factors, oral and general health behaviors, and systemic health status. A total of 10,643 subjects who were between 20 and 59 years of age participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and underwent cross-sectional examination. Medical history of allergic rhinitis was collected from participants by questionnaire; additionally, periodontal status was assessed using a Community Periodontal Index score of 3 or 4. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to adjust for socio-demographic variables, oral health status and behaviors, and general health status and behaviors. All analyses were performed using a complex sampling design. Allergic rhinitis and periodontitis showed a significant inverse association. After adjusting for all confounders, a trend of decreasing periodontitis risk was observed as allergic rhinitis increased. The adjusted odds ratio of periodontitis was 0.79 (0.66–0.95) for patients with allergic rhinitis. A significant inverse association between allergic rhinitis and periodontal status was demonstrated in this patient population.

Removal of the biofilm from the proximal space is essential for preventing periodontal disease. This study aimed to prove the association between the use of proximal cleaning devices, such as dental floss and interdental brushes, and periodontal health among nationally representative Korean adults. Data collected from the 7th National Health Nutrition Survey (KNHANES VII: 2016–2018) were used for this purpose. A total of 11,359 participants aged 19 years or older who participated in KNHANES were reviewed. The response variable was the prevalence of high CPI (CPI of 3–4), and the explanatory variables were dental floss and interdental brush. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for potential confounding factors and to analyze the association between periodontal disease and proximal cleaning devices. It was found that 63.1% of the participants did not use proximal cleaning devices at all, 17.5% used dental floss alone, 11.9% used an interdental brush, and 7.5% used both. Subjects who used both dental floss and interdental brush had a high CPI rate nearly half that of all the models for those who did not. In particular, for those using dental floss, the aOR of high CPI was 0.681 in Model 1, 0.714 in Model 2, and 0.737 in Model 3. Dental hygiene products for cleaning the proximal space, such as dental floss, are essential for removing the dental biofilm as a basic tool along with toothbrushes. Teaching and explaining the need to use these devices well are important for oral health care and maintenance.

Yong-Keum Choi, Eun-Jeong Kim. J Dent Hyg Sci 2019;19:181-9. https://doi.org/10.17135/jdhs.2019.19.3.181

Purpose: Many home care treatments can be used to promote the health and longevity of dental implants; however, few studies are available to support the concept that self-performed oral hygiene behaviors are an essential tool for improving and maintaining oral health. We investigated age-stratified associations between dental health behaviors related to tooth brushing (TB) and oral hygiene product use in Korean adults with implants. Methods: A total of 1,911 subjects over 19 years of age who had 1 or more implants and who participated in the 2013 to 2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were reviewed. Periodontal status was assessed using Community Periodontal Index (CPI) scores, and periodontitis was defined as a CPI greater than or equal to 3. The complex sampling design of the survey was utilized to obtain the variance and individual weight of each analyzed factor. A high CPI was the outcome variable, and the main explanatory variables were oral hygiene behaviors, such as TB, dental floss (DF), interproximal brushing, and mouth rinsing. Results: Almost all individuals with a lower CPI brushed their teeth twice or more per day, in contrast to those with a higher CPI, and were likely to use DF. The adjusted odds ratio of not using DF fora higher CPI was 1.83 (95% confidence interval, 1.35-2.49). Conclusions: TB was implemented more than twice a day by patients with good oral health, and the combination of TB and DF significantly reduced the prevalence of a higher CPI. Self-performed oral hygiene practices combining TB and DF were significantly related to a low prevalence of periodontitis in implant patients.