Oral health status, behavior and impact profile among naval personnel in the Malaysian naval armed forces
Abstract Background The oral health of military personnel is critical in ensuring their operational readiness and overall health. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the oral health parameters, behaviours and impact profile among naval personnel stationed at a Malaysian naval base. Methods Pa...
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| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-02-01
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| Series: | BMC Oral Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-05478-5 |
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| author | Nik Madihah Nik Azis Raja Noreihan Raja Abdullah Mohamad Nur Adzmi Mohamad Ayub Badiah Baharin |
| author_facet | Nik Madihah Nik Azis Raja Noreihan Raja Abdullah Mohamad Nur Adzmi Mohamad Ayub Badiah Baharin |
| author_sort | Nik Madihah Nik Azis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The oral health of military personnel is critical in ensuring their operational readiness and overall health. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the oral health parameters, behaviours and impact profile among naval personnel stationed at a Malaysian naval base. Methods Participants first underwent oral health examinations to evaluate their plaque scores, bleeding scores, Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN), and Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. Additionally, the oral health behaviours and oral health impact profiles of the participants were assessed through a structured questionnaire. Results A total of 176 naval personnel participated in the study. Overall, the findings indicate high levels of plaque (30.7%) and bleeding scores (39.6%) while the CPITN results showed a significant proportion of participants (52.1%) requiring advanced periodontal treatment (CPITN 3 or 4). The DMFT index highlighted a substantial burden of dental caries with a mean score of 4.59 ± 4.24, including untreated decay (1.15 ± 1.63). The assessment of oral health-related quality of life using the OHIP-14 revealed low scores among some participants, with a mean of 13.47 and a maximum score of 42. Additionally, oral health behaviours were generally inadequate, with 12% of participants reporting infrequent brushing and 68.2% indicating limited use of interdental aids. Conclusions Oral diseases were highly prevalent among the selected population, with notable deficiencies in oral health behaviours such as toothbrushing frequency, the use of interdental cleaning aids, and tongue cleaning. Oral health issues also significantly impacted daily life, as evidenced by the OHIP-14 scores. These findings highlight the need for tailored oral health interventions within the naval setting to enhance deployment readiness, improve oral health outcomes, and elevate the quality of life for naval personnel. Clinical trial number Not applicable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-11fd1ec6a7a94de7a85dbda9625ecb4f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6831 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Oral Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-11fd1ec6a7a94de7a85dbda9625ecb4f2025-02-09T12:57:26ZengBMCBMC Oral Health1472-68312025-02-0125111110.1186/s12903-025-05478-5Oral health status, behavior and impact profile among naval personnel in the Malaysian naval armed forcesNik Madihah Nik Azis0Raja Noreihan Raja Abdullah1Mohamad Nur Adzmi Mohamad Ayub2Badiah Baharin3Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaMinistry of Defence, Terendak Armed Forces Dental CentreMinistry of Defence, Kota Kinabalu Armed Forces Regional HospitalDepartment of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaAbstract Background The oral health of military personnel is critical in ensuring their operational readiness and overall health. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the oral health parameters, behaviours and impact profile among naval personnel stationed at a Malaysian naval base. Methods Participants first underwent oral health examinations to evaluate their plaque scores, bleeding scores, Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN), and Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. Additionally, the oral health behaviours and oral health impact profiles of the participants were assessed through a structured questionnaire. Results A total of 176 naval personnel participated in the study. Overall, the findings indicate high levels of plaque (30.7%) and bleeding scores (39.6%) while the CPITN results showed a significant proportion of participants (52.1%) requiring advanced periodontal treatment (CPITN 3 or 4). The DMFT index highlighted a substantial burden of dental caries with a mean score of 4.59 ± 4.24, including untreated decay (1.15 ± 1.63). The assessment of oral health-related quality of life using the OHIP-14 revealed low scores among some participants, with a mean of 13.47 and a maximum score of 42. Additionally, oral health behaviours were generally inadequate, with 12% of participants reporting infrequent brushing and 68.2% indicating limited use of interdental aids. Conclusions Oral diseases were highly prevalent among the selected population, with notable deficiencies in oral health behaviours such as toothbrushing frequency, the use of interdental cleaning aids, and tongue cleaning. Oral health issues also significantly impacted daily life, as evidenced by the OHIP-14 scores. These findings highlight the need for tailored oral health interventions within the naval setting to enhance deployment readiness, improve oral health outcomes, and elevate the quality of life for naval personnel. Clinical trial number Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-05478-5Naval personnelOperational readinessMilitary healthcare |
| spellingShingle | Nik Madihah Nik Azis Raja Noreihan Raja Abdullah Mohamad Nur Adzmi Mohamad Ayub Badiah Baharin Oral health status, behavior and impact profile among naval personnel in the Malaysian naval armed forces BMC Oral Health Naval personnel Operational readiness Military healthcare |
| title | Oral health status, behavior and impact profile among naval personnel in the Malaysian naval armed forces |
| title_full | Oral health status, behavior and impact profile among naval personnel in the Malaysian naval armed forces |
| title_fullStr | Oral health status, behavior and impact profile among naval personnel in the Malaysian naval armed forces |
| title_full_unstemmed | Oral health status, behavior and impact profile among naval personnel in the Malaysian naval armed forces |
| title_short | Oral health status, behavior and impact profile among naval personnel in the Malaysian naval armed forces |
| title_sort | oral health status behavior and impact profile among naval personnel in the malaysian naval armed forces |
| topic | Naval personnel Operational readiness Military healthcare |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-05478-5 |
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