EDUCATION ON THE EFFECTS OF ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES AND COFFEE CONSUMPTION ON ORAL AND DENTAL HEALTH AT SMAN 7 TANGGERANG

Abstract

Adolescents are a group that is highly vulnerable to adopting unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking and consuming foods and beverages high in sugar. Currently trending among teenagers and young adults is the habit of smoking electronic cigarettes as an alternative to conventional cigarettes and consuming coffee with various flavors that are high in sugar. Social factors such as peer and family influence, as well as media marketing, increase their risk of engaging in these behaviors. This unhealthy lifestyle will have an impact on their overall physical health, as well as their dental and oral health. Dental and oral health education has been carried out by various related parties, but teenagers' understanding and behavioral changes are temporary. Therefore, an age-appropriate interactive approach is needed so that the information conveyed is interesting and easy to understand. School is an ideal place to promote health because most of their time is spent there. This period is a critical stage in life, where behavioral patterns are established, and it can indicate their future health status. In addition, children can learn new information quickly at this stage. The sooner habits are formed, the longer the impact will last. Messages conveyed in health promotion programs can be repeated regularly during the school period by taking current themes that interest children and adolescents.