ORAL HEALTH STATUS AND RELATED BEHAVIOR IN ADULTS FROM NORTH-EASTERN REGION OF ROMANIA

Oral health represents a standard for the quality of life of the individual in a society. Good oral health allows an individual socioeconomic integration as well as personal development to the maximum capacity, thus making him useful to society. The aim of the study was to evaluate the oral health status as well as the behavioral factors that influence this status in the adult population from the N-E region of Romania. Material and methods: The retrospective study data were gathered via questionnaires completed by 765 participants in the '' Prophylaxis Caravan '' annual event between March 2022 - April 2023. We collect demographic data, information about type of medical insurance they have, the monthly income, the type of dental office they visit, about oral hygiene habits (number of daily tooth brushings, toothbrush changing, frequency of dental check-ups) and oral health status using DMFT index and CPITN index. SPSS 26.0 was used for statistical analysis, p < 0.005. Results: 64.3% of the subjects brush their teeth more than once a day, and 75.8% change their toothbrush 1- 3 times/per year. 35.8% go to the dentist '' when needed '', 59.3% of subjects go for check-ups or treatment. DMFT = 11.4, consisting of DT= 2.38, MT=6.20 and the FT=2.49. Conclusions: The oral health of adults in the N-E region of Romania is influenced by an important carious experience, dental edentacy having an increased value. Health promoting behavior as well as monthly income are elements that influence the quality of oral health of the population