The relationship between toothbrush usage by intermediate school pupils and number of various factors in Tikrit and nearby cities from May 2012 to Jan 2013 .

Abstract

The objective of this study is to find the relationship of the rate of tooth brushing of intermediate school children, with their gender, age, rate of sweets consumption, and their parents’ educational level and job in Tikrit and Al-Dour cities . The study sample was 400 males and 400 female whom their ages range between 13-18 years . The study shown a significantly (p<0.01) higher rate for females to use toothbrush more than males. A direct relation for rate of tooth brushing among females with their ages, and a significant inversed relation for males use of tooth brushing and their ages . Males consume sweets more than females (71.02%, 23.53% respectively and do not brush their teeth with a significant difference (p<0.01), and 83.92%, 33.33% respectively consume sweets 3 or more times daily with brushing their teeth occasionally). It has been found that there is a significant (p<0.01) direct relationship between educational level of parents (especially fathers) and rate of use of toothbrush. Another significant (p<0.01) direct relationship between parents’ job and rate of use of toothbrush has been found by the study .