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Oral habits in children--a prevalence study
1A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore.
Summary
Oral habits like digit sucking and mouth breathing are common in Mangalore school children. These habits show correlations with malocclusion, particularly in older age groups and boys.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Epidemiology
- Orthodontics
Background:
- Oral habits are prevalent in children and can influence dental development.
- Understanding the prevalence and patterns of these habits is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of various oral habits among school children in Mangalore.
- To analyze the association of these habits with age, sex, and malocclusion status.
Main Methods:
- An epidemiological study involving 4,590 school children.
- Data collection on oral habits, age, sex, and malocclusion.
- Statistical analysis to find correlations.
Main Results:
- 29.7% of children exhibited oral habits.
- Prevalence varied by age and sex: digit sucking, pencil biting, and tongue thrust were common in younger children (3-6 years); mouth breathing and bruxism in older children (7-12 years); lip/cheek biting and nail biting in adolescents (13-16 years).
- Digit sucking, tongue thrust, mouth breathing, and bruxism were more common in boys, while lip/cheek biting, nail biting, and pencil biting were more prevalent in girls. Malocclusion was observed in 28.95% of children with habits in older age groups.
Conclusions:
- Oral habits are common in Mangalore school children and show age and sex-specific patterns.
- Significant correlations exist between specific oral habits (tongue thrust, mouth breathing, digit sucking) and malocclusion types (Class I type 2, Class II div 1).
- Early identification and management of oral habits are recommended to prevent malocclusion.