Author(s): Enabulele JE, Omo JO and Aziken PU
Objective: There is an increased interest in looking at gender differences in health and disease, including oral health. This study assessed the gender differences in oral health habits among first year undergraduate students.
Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study of first year undergraduate students with data collated using an interviewer administered questionnaire which elicited information on socio demographic characteristics of the participants, mouth cleaning habits and examination of the oral cavity to determine the oral hygiene status of the respondents. All data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20.0. The statistics carried out were frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, independent sample t-test and Chi square test.
Results: Two hundred first year students made up of 100 males and 100 females participated in this study. The association between frequency of tooth brushing and gender of respondents was not statistically significant. However, there was statistically significant association between time of brushing and gender of the respondents with a higher proportion of females brushing before breakfast and before bed and a higher proportion of males brushing before breakfast only The association between duration of brushing and gender of respondents was statistically significant, with an increase in proportion of females as the duration of brushing increased. Similarly, there was statistically significant association between oral hygiene status and gender of the respondents with more males having fair oral hygiene while more females had good oral hygiene.
Conclusion: Gender differences do exist in oral hygiene practices among first year undergraduate students with female having better oral hygiene status than their male counterparts. This may be because the timing as well as duration of tooth brushing among females is significantly different from that of males.
