Oral Care Behavior among Type 2 Diabetes Patients : A Case Study of Nongpling Health Promoting Hospital, Pak Thong Chai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

Diabetes and periodontal disease could induce the severity of each by a bidirectional adverse relationship. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to explore oral care behavior and factors associated with oral care behavior among patients with type 2 diabetes. 269 patients with type 2 diabetes were the participants of the study and were selected using random sampling who received health service at Nongpling Health Promoting Hospital, Pak Thong Chai district, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics including frequency and percentage were used, and Chi-square as well as Fisher’s exact test were used to find out the association between potential factors and oral care behavior. The results found that most participants were female (65.8%) age of 60 years and over (38.7%) having been type 2 diabetes patients 1 and 5 years (46.8%) married (71.7%) finished primary school (69.5%) housewife/house husband (34.2%). Most participants neither smoke (80.3%) nor drink alcohol (65.4%). The associated factors were found that education level, history of smoking, alcohol consumption, knowledge of oral care, attitudes toward oral care, and oral care encouraging from beloved ones and health personnel were significantly associated with oral care behavior among type 2 diabetes patients (p-value < 0.05). This finding could be applied for oral health promotion and services, staying without consuming tobacco and alcohol, providing oral care knowledge, enhancing attitudes toward oral care, and promoting family members and health professionals to support patients with diabetes to have oral hygiene self-care.