ORIGINAL: Audit of School Oral Health Promotion Activities and Association with Oral Health Behaviour of Adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria

West Afr J Med. 2024 May; 41 (5): 597-605 PMID: 39212591

Abstract

Purpose: The school is primed as an avenue for promoting health. Conversely, the high unmet dental needs among school-going adolescents raises concern about the role of schools in this task. This study therefore assessed the role of schools in supporting positive oral health behaviour of adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methods: From 30 secondary schools that were randomly selected, 2097 students aged 12-18 years were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Data were obtained from the students with self-administered questionnaires. A checklist was used to assess the availability of oral health promotional activities and evaluate the schools' tuck shops for the sale of healthy food. Data were analysed with SPSS version 23.

Results: The only oral health promotional role played by the schools was provision of oral health education reported in 8 (26.7%) schools and only 331 (15.8%) students had been educated about oral health. There was an absence of oral health promotional materials, dental clinics, or sick bays in schools and all the tuck shops had cariogenic foods and drinks for sale. Students from schools where oral health promotion activity had been conducted cleaned their teeth more frequently (AOR=1.9, 95%CI=1.4-2.5, p<0.001), consulted the dentist (AOR=2.5, 95%CI=1.6-4.2, p<0.001) and were more likely not to smoke (AOR=6.5, 95%CI=3.3-13.0, p<0.001) compared to others.

Conclusion: Very few schools had exposed their students to oral health promotion activity and oral health education was the only activity conducted in schools. Adolescents who had participated in school oral health programme reported better oral health behaviour than others.