Speakers - 2026

College students face persistent academic and personal stressors that influence health behaviors and help-seeking practices. While much research exists exploring the relationship between stress and physical and mental health outcomes, little research specifically examines its effect on oral health. This study examined oral health behaviors, stress, and changes in habits between men and women aged 18-25 on American college campuses. Using an anonymous online survey, we collected data from 81 college students (26 men, 55 women) on perceived stress levels, oral health behaviors (brushing, flossing, self-rated oral health), and behavior changes during periods of high stress, such as midterms and final examinations. Descriptive statistics and comparative analyses were conducted in SPSS to identify trends and examine differences by gender, major, and year of study. Participants reported moderate to high levels of stress, with 67.6% indicating that they often or always felt overwhelmed, and 78.8% reporting that their stress increased after entering college. Although most women reported brushing twice a day, 40% of all respondents reported never flossing, and only 27.5% reported flossing regularly. More than half of participants (56.3%) reported skipping brushing or flossing at least sometimes during periods of high stress, particularly during midterms (27.5%) and finals (33.8%), when academic pressure was highest. Despite these behaviors, 63.7% of respondents still rated their oral hygiene as “good,” indicating a disconnect between perceived and actual oral health practices. Interestingly, men reported worse oral health habits during periods of high stress and correspondingly lower health outcomes than their female counterparts. There were no statistically significant differences based on major or year of study. Notably, 88.8% of students reported not using campus health resources, and 3.8% were unaware they even existed, despite reporting high stress and disrupted oral hygiene. The results of this survey study highlight an important disconnect between young adults' awareness of proper oral hygiene and present opportunities for dentists and other health practitioners to support and foster better oral health habits. Universities and health providers should take a more proactive role in supporting students’ oral health during high-stress periods. Integrating oral health education into campus wellness programming, stress-management workshops, and student health services could help students recognize the link between stress and oral hygiene. Dentists and campus clinicians may also consider screening for stress-related oral symptoms during routine visits and offering prevention strategies. Simple interventions such as reminder-based hygiene tools, access to affordable dental supplies, and targeted messaging during midterms and finals could help mitigate lapses in oral care and reduce long-term oral health risks among college students.

The audience take away from presentation:

1. Understand the prevalence of stress among college students studying in the United States

2. Discuss how oral hygiene habits are impacted by academic, personal, and workplace stress

3. Differentiate between gender-based oral health practices

4. Identify common early signs of deteriorating hygiene practices among young adults