Literature Review
Dental hygiene has been widely established as an indicator of an individual's overall health. Participating in behaviors such as drug use and consuming a lot of caffeine or sugar can have a significant effect on one's oral health. In addition, failing to take care of the teeth by not brushing, flossing, using mouthwash, and scheduling regular checkups at the dentist can be detrimental to bodily health. It has been found that the health of your mouth can be linked to Alzheimer's, pancreatic cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and numerous other diseases and illnesses (Mayo Clinic). Although most of these diseases and illnesses occur later in life, it is just as important for college-aged students to take steps in reducing their risk for poor health. Therefore, it is extremely relevant to look after one's oral health.
Numerous studies have been published that show how oral health can be affected by the consumption of drugs in a college environment. College students, for the most part, do not consider long-term consequences of their behavior and therefore may not put enough effort into their dental hygiene. A study conducted by Newport Academy found that young people thought they were invincible when it came to drug abuse. Only 5% had fear of becoming addicted to drugs. Another study done by Columbia University found that nearly half of full-time college students binge drink or abuse prescription drugs, and close to a quarter of those college students fit the criteria of being dependent on or abusing the substance. When compared to the general population that is three times the rate (Student Health). With the use of drugs college students expose their teeth to unnecessary acids that lead to bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease, and a number of other problems. Both alcohol and tobacco, among many other drugs, have the potential to do serious harm to one's oral health. In addition, with the consumption of drugs at late night parties, college students will often forget to brush and floss providing an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. With four out of five college students regularly consuming alcohol (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) it is important to raise awareness for the prevention of poor dental hygiene which may lead to oral health issues later in life.
While there are many different opinions on the relevance of dental care in college-aged students, there is no doubt that the better job an individual does in taking care of his teeth the less his chance for future problems. Dental caries or cavities are the most prevalent chronic disease in adolescents, although largely preventable (NIDCR). A college student's lifestyle affects the risk of exposure to dental cavities due to the high consumption of sugars and caffeine, use of drugs, and lack of attention to the importance of brushing and flossing. Raising awareness is a key step in improving the oral and therefore overall health of the population. In this project I focus on raising awareness not only for college-aged students but also the general populous. From the presentation of dangerous substances that pose a threat to dental hygiene, to the simple practices that everyone can implement to achieve top-notch oral health, this project aims to explain it all.
Numerous studies have been published that show how oral health can be affected by the consumption of drugs in a college environment. College students, for the most part, do not consider long-term consequences of their behavior and therefore may not put enough effort into their dental hygiene. A study conducted by Newport Academy found that young people thought they were invincible when it came to drug abuse. Only 5% had fear of becoming addicted to drugs. Another study done by Columbia University found that nearly half of full-time college students binge drink or abuse prescription drugs, and close to a quarter of those college students fit the criteria of being dependent on or abusing the substance. When compared to the general population that is three times the rate (Student Health). With the use of drugs college students expose their teeth to unnecessary acids that lead to bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease, and a number of other problems. Both alcohol and tobacco, among many other drugs, have the potential to do serious harm to one's oral health. In addition, with the consumption of drugs at late night parties, college students will often forget to brush and floss providing an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. With four out of five college students regularly consuming alcohol (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) it is important to raise awareness for the prevention of poor dental hygiene which may lead to oral health issues later in life.
While there are many different opinions on the relevance of dental care in college-aged students, there is no doubt that the better job an individual does in taking care of his teeth the less his chance for future problems. Dental caries or cavities are the most prevalent chronic disease in adolescents, although largely preventable (NIDCR). A college student's lifestyle affects the risk of exposure to dental cavities due to the high consumption of sugars and caffeine, use of drugs, and lack of attention to the importance of brushing and flossing. Raising awareness is a key step in improving the oral and therefore overall health of the population. In this project I focus on raising awareness not only for college-aged students but also the general populous. From the presentation of dangerous substances that pose a threat to dental hygiene, to the simple practices that everyone can implement to achieve top-notch oral health, this project aims to explain it all.