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Research Paper | Dentistry | Libya | Volume 13 Issue 10, October 2024 | Popularity: 5.2 / 10

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Oral Hygiene Practices and Dietary Behaviours in a Group of Children in Benghazi, Libya

Fowziya M. Ali, Almuetasim B. Farag, Najma Alamami, Ahmed Abouserwel

Abstract: Oral health is essential to overall wellness. Oral health is more significant than general health, which is crucial to our well-being and standard of living. It is also a major indicator of overall health. This study needed to evaluate Libyan children's dental hygiene practices concerning their dietary category. Participants and methods: Subjects and methods: One hundred thirty-eight schoolchildren, ages five to thirteen, who consent to participate were included in the study population. The children had their eating habits and dental healthcare practices evaluated in the children's dental clinic at the University of Benghazi with their parents or guardians. Results: When lunchbox food consumption was used to assess dietary habits at the school, the majority of students consumed 37.1% of pastries packed with chocolate, 27.5% of chocolate bars, 26.1% of milk juice, and 8.7% of chips. Analysis of food consumption trends at family get-togethers. Children's beverage preferences are dominated by carbonated, sweetened juice drinks (56.0%), followed by milk (10%) and water (34%). Tooth brushing frequency: 44% brush once, 39.3% brush twice, and only 53.5% did not brush their teeth regularly. In conclusion, our data show how children, in terms of age and gender, encounter a wide variety of food intake and oral hygiene behaviours. These statistics help focus on dietary policy, finding gaps in nutritional surveillance, and evaluating the impact of youngsters' eating and drinking behaviours during school and family outings.

Keywords: Oral hygiene, Dietary habits, Libyan children, school and family diet

Edition: Volume 13 Issue 10, October 2024

Pages: 633 - 637

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