BEHAVIORAL AND LIFESTYLE DETERMINANTS OF ORAL HEALTH STATUS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS BASED ON DMFT AND OHI-S INDICES AT QUANG BINH UNIVERSITY, VIETNAM

Abstract

 This study aimed to identify behavioral and lifestyle factors associated with dental caries and oral hygiene status among university
students. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 707 students at Quang Binh University on 30 March 2026, of whom 683 also completed the behavioral/lifestyle questionnaire and were included in the associated-factors analysis. The DMFT and OHI-S indices were used to assess dental caries and oral hygiene status, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, multivariate logistic regression, and multivariate linear regression. The results revealed a high prevalence of dental caries among
students (78.8%), with a mean DMFT of 3.05 ± 2.59. The mean OHI-S was 1.64 ± 1.01, with the majority of participants classified as having a moderate level of oral hygiene (56.9%). Univariate analysis showed that several behavioral factors were associated with dental caries. However, in the multivariate logistic regression model, only the habit of using toothpicks was identified as an independent factor; students who did not use toothpicks or used them only occasionally had a significantly lower risk of dental caries compared
to those who used them regularly (OR = 0.55 and 0.50, respectively; p < 0.05), while acidic food/- drink consumption was independently associated with OHI-S. These findings suggest that toothpick use and consumption of acidic foods and drinks are modifiable behavioral targets for oral health promotion among Vietnamese university students.