Aim. To identify the oral health behavior that must be corrected in order to customize the education lessons according to teenager’s needs. Materials and methods. The study was conducted in Bucharest among 167 subjects (14.23±0.89 years, 49.7% boys). Assessment was performed using a self-administered questionnaire. The subjects were distributed in two age groups. Results and discussions. 64.7% brush twice daily, using most frequently the rolling technique (29.3%) and flossing 1.78 times per week. During school breaks, almost one third eat fruits or sandwiches. 61.1% visit the dental office only in pain. 85.6% of the subjects are non-smokers. The comparative results show less satisfactory behavior as to dental services utilization and brushing technique in 15-16 year-old subjects and brushing frequency in 13-14 year-old ones. Concusions. The main topics for education lessons are smoking and tooth brushing for 15-16 year-old teenagers, respectively dental visits benefits and tooth brushing frequency for the other group.
Keywords:- education needs
- oral health
- teenagers