Investigation and analysis of periodontal health status and oral hygiene behavior of 182 Air Force pilots
10.3760/cma.j.cn113854-20230419-00036
- VernacularTitle:182名空军飞行员牙周健康状况及口腔卫生行为调查与分析
- Author:
Xiaoru ZHU
1
;
Xiaoyan CHANG
1
;
Yiwen TAN
1
;
Qian LI
1
;
Jing LV
1
;
Jianliang PANG
1
Author Information
1. 空军军医大学空军特色医学中心口腔科，北京 100142
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Periodontal diseases;
Oral hygiene;
Questionnaires;
Pilots
- From:
Chinese Journal of Aerospace Medicine
2024;35(1):59-63
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To provide references for further improving the oral health of Air Force pilots by investigating the periodontal health status and oral hygiene behavior of Air Force pilots.Methods:A total of 182 active-duty Air Force pilots who underwent physical examinations at the Air Force Medical Center were randomly selected for periodontal examination and oral hygiene behavior questionnaires survey. They were grouped by age (<35 years and ≥35 years), hometown (urban-originated and rural-originated), and aircraft type (fighter or other aircraft types like bomber, helicopter, transporter, and trainer).Results:Among the 182 Air Force pilots, the detection rate of gingival bleeding, dental calculus, periodontal pocket and loss of periodontal attachment was 86.81%, 75.27%, 6.59%, 9.89%, respectively. There was 82.42% of the pilots brushed their teeth at least twice a day, 35.16% used dental floss every day, 80.22% alternately used different toothpastes, and only 9.34% used toothpastes containing fluoride. There was 56.04% of the pilots brushed their teeth up and down, 8.24% brushed horizontally, 70.88% brushed their teeth for 2-3 min, and 53.30% smoked. In the past 6 months, 48.35% of the pilots had experienced gingival bleeding, but 67.58% had not undergone tooth cleaning treatment in the past 12 months. The detection rates of periodontal pockets, loss of periodontal attachment and the rates of flossing use in ≥35 years group were higher than those in <35 years group, with significant differences ( χ2=6.04, 4.68, 11.00, P=0.014, 0.031, 0.012), and there was also a significant difference in brushing method between the 2 groups ( χ2=17.75, P<0.001). There were significant differences in the detection rates of dental calculus, brushing frequency, brushing method, and the treatment of dental cleaning in the past 12 months between the rural-originated group and the urban-originated group ( χ2=6.25, 7.20, 13.81, 4.02, P=0.012, 0.007, 0.003, 0.045). The smoking rate in the fighter group was lower than that in the other aircraft types group, with significant difference ( χ2=10.10, P=0.018). Conclusions:The periodontal health status of Air Force pilots is still not optimistic, and the oral hygiene behavior still needs to be further improved. It is necessary to further strengthen oral hygiene education for pilots, improve their oral hygiene behavior, and enhance the support capabilities to their oral health.
