Relationship between Malocclusion and Oral Habits in a Sample of Patients Aged (7-20) Years Old in Erbil City

Authors

  • Taban Ibrahim Muhialdeen
  • Marwa Arjuman Tahseen
  • Tara Rahman Mekayl
  • Taba Sherzad Hassan

Keywords:

Prevalence of malocclusion, Malocclusion, Oral habits, Malocclusion risk factors, Dental arch alignment

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Detrimental oral habits can significantly impact dental alignment, inter-arch relationships, jaw development, and orofacial muscle function, ultimately contributing to malocclusion—defined as a deviation from the normal relationship between teeth within the same arch or opposing arches. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of oral habits and their association with malocclusion.

 Materials and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 143 patients (72 males, 71 females) aged 7 to 20 years attending the diagnostic department of HMU/College of Dentistry in Erbil City. The contingency coefficient test was used to examine the relationship between oral habits and malocclusion traits, as well as associations with age and gender. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.

Results: Poor oral habits were observed in 70.6% of participants, with a higher prevalence in males (38.4%) compared to females (32.2%). The age group of 7–11 years exhibited the highest prevalence (26.6%). The most common habit was mouth breathing (37.8%), followed by nail biting (30.1%), lip biting (28.7%), thumb sucking (11.9%), and tongue thrusting (6.3%). Class I malocclusion was predominant (74.1%). Significant correlations were identified between tongue thrusting and lip biting with spacing (P < 0.05) and between thumb sucking with overbite and crossbite (P < 0.05). Mouth breathing demonstrated a significant association with age and gender, while no significant relationship was found between Angle classifications and oral habits (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: This study found that oral habits were prevalent in 70.6% of assessed patients, with mouth breathing as the most common habit, strongly linked to age and gender. Specific oral habits, such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, and lip biting, were significantly associated with distinct malocclusion traits, highlighting the importance of early identification and intervention.

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Published

2025-09-03

How to Cite

1.
Muhialdeen TI, Tahseen MA, Mekayl TR, Hassan TS. Relationship between Malocclusion and Oral Habits in a Sample of Patients Aged (7-20) Years Old in Erbil City. J Neonatal Surg [Internet]. 2025Sep.3 [cited 2025Oct.10];14(8):879-85. Available from: https://www.jneonatalsurg.com/index.php/jns/article/view/9088

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 8 (2025): Journal of Neonatal Surgery

Section

Original Article

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