The present study provides important insights into the teeth brushing behaviors of intermediate and secondary school students. According to the research findings, more than 89% percent of subjects reported having brushed their teeth at least once daily. Different from this, another study in Riyadh showed that only sixty-five percent of students cleaned their teeth once on a daily basis. On the other hand, as reported by AL-Mas, approximately 27.6% and 26.8% of female students in intermediate and secondary schools respectively, brushed their teeth at least once on a daily basis. These research findings clearly indicate that adolescents have altered their teeth brushing habits, because of the increased frequency of teeth brushing reported. Although this is the case, these research findings are incomparable, because these studies used different questions on health behaviors and cut-offs. In addition to using different questions, the studies also concentrated on different age groups and diverse populations hence, making it even harder to correlate the results of these research findings.
Contrary to research findings of the teeth brushing habits of Saudi Arabian adolescents in Riyadh, corresponding research finding in other European countries and North America showed a higher incidence of tooth brushing among adolescents (Maes et al, 2006). Further, as shown by these research findings, there is an increased tooth brushing frequency with increased age. Considering this, these research findings agree with other research studies, which have shown that, peer approval is one of the primary determinants of tooth brushing behavior (Honkala, 2002; Rise, 199; Maes et al, 2004). Unlike previous research findings, there was no correlation between parents’ level of educational attainment with the tooth brushing routine (Kuusela, 1997; Keogh & Linden, 1991). In addition, as clearly depicted by the current study, the majority of youngsters seek dental-medical help once they experience symptoms of teeth problems. These findings were also evident in other research studies carried out in the Middle East (Rajab et al, 2002; Peterson et al, 1990; Vigild et al, 1999). On the other hand, there is a strong correlation between a mother’s level of education attainment and dental attendance. This finding is in agreement with the research results of research studies carried out in Jordan and Finland (Rajab, 2002; Honkala et al, 1997).
In the present study, more than half of the girls took a shower at least twice a week. Most Saudi teenagers take a bath more regularly than other adolescents do in other countries, for example, Iran; although this might have resulted, because of the variation of the season when the facts were collected (Dorri et al, 2009). As per this research, the relationship between taking a shower and age was not of great significance. As proved by other previous research findings on general cleaning, this research study also showed that there was a big correlation between cleaning of hands after visiting a toilet with parental education (Boot & Cairncross, 1993; Anna et al, 1998; World Bank, 1993; Peterson et al, 2008). Further, this research study proved that, as compared to other age groups, teenagers consumed more sweetened foods. These findings correlated with other research findings carried out in Riyadh and Kuwait (Vigild, 1999; ALSadhan, 2003). Such augmented degrees of taking of this category of foods might be resulting because such foods make up a great proportion of foods sold in learning institutions’ food shops.
Additionally, as proved by this research, a mother’s level of education and increasing age had a direct influence on individuals’ level of soft drink consumption. These findings confirm other early research studies that show that, as time advances, children’s diet diminishes with time (Lytle, 2000; Kate et al, 2010). This may be the case primarily because of the diminishing parental control, as children get more exposure to external pressures (Kate et al, 2010). Furthermore, as proved by this research study, there were high rates of fast food consumption; a case that agreed with findings by Kate et al, 2010) in Riyadh. Although this is the case, this frequency contrasted strikingly with facts obtained from the south-western areas of Saudi Arabia, for example, the City of Abha, which had a reduced frequency (Farghaly et al, 2007). On the other hand, this study indicated that, as compared to other countries, for example, England, Portugal, Scotland, Belgium, and Denmark; there was a reduced frequency of fruits and vegetable consumption (Currie et al, 2004). Daily breakfast consumption is crucial, as most people who miss this important meal rarely meet their nutritional needs (Nicklas, 1998).
In a recent national survey in Canada, almost half of the girls (of the two age groups) interviewed missed their breakfast; results that are similar to this studies’ research findings (Health Canada, 2000; Bonnie et al, 2003). These findings contradict with HBCS survey findings, which showed that older girls consumed breakfast less frequently. In addition, this study showed that most of the teenagers’ periodicity of exercising is less than five times a week. As reported by Al-Hazzaa (2004), a high percentage of teenagers exercise less frequently. This situation worsened with increasing age and largely, parental education played no role in controlling this rate; a case that is also prevalent in HBCS surveys (Maes et al 2004). Further, as shown by these studies, the majority of adolescents spend more than two hours of their time watching television, which directly correlates with the soft drink consumption rate of adolescents.
As reported by Ann et al (2002), there is an increased instance of eating disorders among Fijian girls, because of increased watching of television. Considering this, restricting television watching is one of the primary remedies for controlling weight gain (Robinson, 1999). As research studies show, fast food advertisement targeting the young population is one of the most common features of Saudi Arabia’s media (Dehghan et al, 2005). Therefore, eliminating the big volumes of marketing of foods and drinks rich in energy and fast food eateries that target young people, mainly using the powerful television media is one of the advocated mechanisms. For instance, the initiation of business-oriented television in Sweden brought with it age-restricted advertising laws, to control its media industry. Such age-restricted advertisements are also common in Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Austria, and Greece (Swinburn & Egger, 2002).
On the other hand, as shown by these studies, as compared to other countries’ research findings on the use of seat belts by teenagers when another person is driving them, most teenagers in this country rarely use safety belts when being driven (Everett, 2002; Steptoe, 2002). Therefore, this calls for stronger legislation to ensure teenagers wear seat belts. Further, as shown by this research study, there was a reduced prevalence of smoking. Although this is the case, the likelihood of this prevalence being higher than the research findings showed is high, as this is a habit that the Saudi Arabian government banned in 1926 (Siddiqui, 2000). Thus, social, cultural, and cultural inhibition may be a factor that jeopardised the provision of accurate information by smokers.
As compared to data on male general and dental behaviors, a few studies that give insights on the general and dental health behaviors of female adolescents in Riyadh exist. These studies encompassed varying questions on health behaviors and cut-offs. In addition, these studies centered on diverse age groups and populations making it hard to correlate different results. The current study gives importance as regards intermediate and secondary schools; whereby, its general research findings show that 89.75% of all the interviewed cleaned their teeth at least once daily. As per other research findings, the population that cleaned their teeth at least once daily was 65% and 61% in Riyadh and ALMadianh respectively (Al-Sadhan, 2003; AlTamimi & Petersen, 1998). This was far below the 92-100% value in some developed countries, as per the same research findings (Russell et al, 1989; Walsh, 1985). As research studies show, the older children grow the more frequently they clean their teeth, a fact that is evident in other research findings (Risen et al, 1991; Honkala et al, 2002). In addition, there was a direct relationship between the increased number of visits to a dentist and reduced consumption of soft drinks with a mother’s level of education; hence, confirming previous research findings (Honkala et al, 1997; Lopez et al, 2006, AL-Sadhan, 2003).
Although such was the case, there was evidence of reduced use of safety belts among learners with mothers who have a higher level of education. In addition, the majority of learners with fathers who were degree or diploma holders had high tendencies of cleaning their hands after visiting the lavatories, a fact that was evident in previous research done in China (Petersen et al, 2008). Further, as per these research findings, there was a direct relationship between family affluence signs, for example, having own sleeping rooms with general health behaviors. Examples of such behaviors include healthy eating, reduced consumption of sweets and soft drinks, and doing exercises. According to these studies, there was no direct relationship between healthy living and one social network.
The utilization of composite measures never gave the best methodology of investigating the variations in socioeconomic characteristics in health behaviors. This undertaking never lacked some strengths and weaknesses. To start with, there was business in terms of selecting areas in Riyadh. In addition, the sample size used was very small (two hundred and forty-five); hence, the data did not fully represent the nation in statistical terms. Although this was the case, the response rate was high; hence, very few components were missing in the data, as most ideas in the data were self-reported. Despite the potential for biases, previous research findings on adolescents validated the results of these research studies (Honkala, 1990; Brener, 2003).
Because of the sensitivity of some questions in this research, for example, those centering on the general health behaviors, for instance, smoking, specifically for girls, the researchers maintained high confidentiality and anonymity of the respondents. Such was achieved by discouraging the writing of student names on the questionnaires provided. This study used only parents’ education as the only SES measure hence, avoiding traditional SES indicators, for example, parental jobs, educational attainment, or earning. Such was the case because, as research studies show, these indicators were likely to increase the chances of wrong reporting, because of missing data (Tortsheim et al, 2004; Jung et al, 2010). Therefore, the research used FA factors as complementary indicators of family SES. In conclusion, the cut-off point for oral health behaviors might have had some influences on this research studies’ findings. Therefore, for a better understanding of the relationship between SES and oral health behaviors in Saudi Arabia, there is a need for more and insightful studies in this field.