1 research outputs found
Relationship between Food Habits and Tooth Erosion Occurrence in Malaysian University Students
Background: Tooth erosion is a growing dental problem; however, the
role of diet in the aetiology of tooth erosion is unclear. A
cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the association
between tooth erosion occurrence and the consumption of acidic foods
and drinks among undergraduate university students. Methods: A total of
150 undergraduate students (33 males and 117 females) aged 19 to 24
years at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia participated in this study. The
Basic Erosive Wear Examination was used to assess the occurrence of
tooth erosion. Information regarding dental hygiene practices, usual
dietary habits, and consumption of acidic foods and drinks was obtained
through a structured questionnaire. Results: In all, 68% of subjects
had tooth erosion. Subjects who reported having received information
about healthy eating were less likely to have tooth erosion (χ2
[1, N = 150] = 7.328, P = 0.007). The frequencies of milk (OR = 0.29,
95% CI = 0.13–0.67) and tea/coffee (adjusted OR = 0.42, 95% CI =
0.19–0.95) consumption were negatively associated with tooth
erosion. Dental hygiene practice, the frequency and amount of acidic
food and drink intake, and body mass index classification were not
significantly associated with the risk of tooth erosion (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: A high prevalence of tooth erosion was observed among this
group of students. Preventive measures, such as dietary advice and
increased consumption of milk at a younger age, may reduce the
occurrence of tooth erosion among this age group