Association Between Oral Health Literacy, Oral Health Behaviors, and Dental Caries Experience Among Dental Students in Egypt

Background: Oral health literacy (OHL) plays a vital role in shaping oral health behaviors and outcomes, particularly among dental students as future health professionals.Aim: This study aimed to assess OHL levels and their association with oral health behaviors and dental caries experience among undergraduate dental students.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 306 students at Kafr El-Sheikh University. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used, including 17 items adapted from the Oral Health Literacy Adults Questionnaire (OHL-AQ). Oral health behaviors were assessed through 7 items covering brushing, flossing, sugary snack intake, and dental visits. Dental caries experience was measured using the DMFT index during clinical examination. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and linear regression using SPSS v29.Results: Higher OHL scores were significantly associated with more favorable oral health behaviors and lower DMFT scores (p < 0.05).Conclusion: A positive relationship exists between OHL and oral health status among dental students. Promoting OHL may improve oral health behaviors and reduce caries risk in this population.