Investigation of the Relationship of Oral Health lteracy and Oral hygiene Self-Efficacy with Self-Reported Oral and Dental Health in Students

oral and dental health is part of general health and is a determining factor for improvement of quality of life. The aim of the present investigation was to determine the relationship of oral health literacy and oral hygiene self-efficacy with self-reported oral and dental health in students. This was a cross sectional correlational study. Based on kukaran formula for sample size calculation and using categorical random sampling method, 281 students of Ardakan University were selected to participate in this study. Data was collected by oral health literacy questionnaire, oral hygiene self-efficacy, and self-reported dental and oral health scale. Pearson’s correlation test and stepwise regression analysis were applied to analyze the data. Both two dimensions numeracy (r = 47; p< 0.01) and reading comprehension (r = 56; p< 0.01) of oral health and both two dimensions brush self-efficacy (r =60; p< 0.01) and floss self-efficacy (r = 45; p < 0.01) were significantly correlated with self-reported oral and dental health in students. The results of stepwise regression analysis showed that floss self-efficacy (R = 59), reading comprehension (R = 71), numeracy (R = 73), and brush self-efficacy (R = 74) predicted the oral and dental health. In general, all these variables predicted 55% of oral and dental health variance (p < 0.01). Oral health literacy and oral hygiene self-efficacy have a key role in the prediction of oral and dental health and given that through enough education we can improve the oral health literacy skills or oral health self-efficacy to improve the oral and dental health of the society.