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Knowledge, attitude, and practices of oral hygiene among college students in Bengaluru city

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Introduction: Poor oral health can have a profound effect on the quality of life. The experience of pain, endurance of dental abscesses, problems with eating and chewing, embarrassment about the shape of teeth or about missing, discolored or damaged teeth can adversely affect people's daily lives and well-being. Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of oral hygiene among college students in Bengaluru city. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered 21-item structured questionnaire that assessed oral health and hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices of 499 students from various professions. 202 engineering students, 99 MBA/BBM students, 99 nursing students, and 99 students from B.Com. The study was conducted during June and July 2013. The results were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Chi-square test using SPSS version 14. All tests were set at a 0.05 significance level. Results: The toothbrush with toothpaste is the most common oral hygiene aid used for cleaning teeth, which was adopted by 304 (60.9%) students. More than half 287 (57.5) of the students felt that dental caries affected their esthetics. 358 (71.7) students felt that the health of the mouth and dentition had an impact on the health of the body. Conclusion: The toothbrush with toothpaste is the most common oral hygiene aid used for cleaning teeth; it was observed that a greater number of students brushed their teeth in the morning. Dental pain was the main reason to visit a dentist.
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© 2016 Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry | Published by Wolters Kluwer ‑ Medknow
Knowledge, attitude, and practices of oral hygiene among
college students in Bengaluru city
V. Gopikrishna, Nithin N. Bhaskar, Smitha B. Kulkarni, Jeswin Jacob, K. G. Sourabha
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Dayananda Sagar College of Dental Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Address for correspondence:
Dr. Nithin N. Bhaskar, Department of Public Health Dent istry, Dayananda S agar College of De ntal Sciences , Shavige Malleshwara Hill s,
Kumarsw amy Layout, Beng aluru ‑ 560 078 , Karnataka, Ind ia. E‑mail: drnithinbhaskar@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
Introducon: Poor oral health can have a profound effect on the quality of life. The experience of pain, endurance of dental
abscesses, problems with eating and chewing, embarrassment about the shape of teeth or about missing, discolored or damaged
teeth can adversely affect people’s daily lives and well-being. Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of oral
hygiene among college students in Bengaluru city. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted
using a self-administered 21-item structured questionnaire that assessed oral health and hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and
practices of 499 students from various professions. 202 engineering students, 99 MBA/BBM students, 99 nursing students,
and 99 students from B.Com. The study was conducted during June and July 2013. The results were analyzed by descriptive
statistics and Chi‑square test using SPSS version 14. All tests were set at a 0.05 signicance level. Results: The toothbrush with
toothpaste is the most common oral hygiene aid used for cleaning teeth, which was adopted by 304 (60.9%) students. More
than half 287 (57.5) of the students felt that dental caries affected their esthetics. 358 (71.7) students felt that the health of the
mouth and dentition had an impact on the health of the body. Conclusion: The toothbrush with toothpaste is the most common
oral hygiene aid used for cleaning teeth; it was observed that a greater number of students brushed their teeth in the morning.
Dental pain was the main reason to visit a dentist.
Key words:
Attitude, knowledge, oral hygiene, students
INTRODUCTION
Hygiene is a science concerned with the investigations
of environmental factors that affect human health. It
studies how the human body responds to them.[1] Dental
hygiene is the science and practice of the recognition,
treatment, and prevention of oral diseases. Good oral
hygiene is the foundation for a healthy mouth and
prevents 80% of all dental problems.[2]
Obeying the rules of proper oral hygiene is of primary
importance in the prevention of dental caries and
periodontal diseases. Unfortunately, oral hygiene practice
is very low in our society. A survey in India suggested
that there was an insufcient degree of education about
oral health and that many children in the country did
not even use a toothbrush, instead relied on traditional
methods to keep their teeth clean.
In a country like India, the awareness about the dental
disease and their impact on general health and the
need to safeguard oral health and hygiene should be
given utmost importance because of the increased
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
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DOI:
10.4103/2319-5932.178726
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How to cite this article: Gopikrishna V, Bhaskar NN, Kulkarni SB, Jacob J,
Sourabha KG. Knowledge, attitude, and practices of oral hygiene among
college students in Bengaluru city. J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent
2016;14:75-9.
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Gopikrishna, et al.: KAP of oral hygiene
76
Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
Vol. 14, Issue 1, | January-March 2016
use of tobacco, improper eating habits and inefcient
maintenance of oral hygiene.
Professional students come across a great number of
people of different age groups from different backgrounds
in their day to day course of study hence with proper
knowledge and oral health behavior they can act as role
models for their family and community at large.
Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge,
attitude and practices of oral hygiene among college
students in Bengaluru city.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A descriptive cross‑sectional survey was conducted
during June and July 2013. The sampling frame
consisted of 12,000 students of a college campus in
Bengaluru city. Cluster random sampling technique
was used to obtain the nal sample size. The inclusion
criteria for selection of subjects were from the current
engineering, MBA/BBM, B.Com and nursing students.
A pilot study was conducted on 50 students to assess
the feasibility and to estimate the sample size. Using the
formula for sample size determination as S = 4pq/n2. The
nal sample size was 499.
The study proposal was approved by the Institutional
Review Board. Standard procedures of informed consent
were used inclusive of anonymity and condentiality.
Questionnaires were given to the students during their
class hours and then collected within 15 min. The
questionnaire was a closed‑ended type consisting of
21 questions, of which 11 were knowledge based, 5 were
attitude based, and 5 were practice‑based questions. The
questionnaire contained multiple responses. The answers
to each question were numerically coded, and the data
were entered in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS) software 14.0 version (Chicago, SPSS Inc.). The
results were analyzed by descriptive statistics including
frequencies, percentages, and Chi‑square test. All tests
were set at a 0.05 signicance level.
RESULTS
In this study, 202 were engineering students,
99 MBA/BBM students, 99 nursing students and
99 students from B.Com. Preventive oral hygiene
behaviors were judged by the use and frequency of oral
hygiene aids such as tooth brushing, ossing and use
of mouthwash and toothpicks. The toothbrush with
toothpaste is the most common oral hygiene aid used
for cleaning teeth, which was adopted by 304 (60.9%)
students; of which 59.4% were engineering students,
53.5% MBA/BBM students, 54.5% nursing/pharmacy
students and 77.8% were B.Com students. Other students
used either dental oss (2.6%) or mouthwashes (4.6%)
along with toothbrush and toothpaste. It was observed
that 159 (31.8%) students were using all these methods.
There was a signicant difference in the oral hygiene
methods between the groups (P = 0.003) [Table 1].
Table 2 presents the answers to the question about
the frequency of toothbrushing. Statistical differences
among the students of engineering, MBA/BBM,
nursing/pharmacy and B.Com was found. It was
observed that 44.1%, 31.2%, 42.5%, and 46% students,
respectively brush their teeth in the morning; 49.5%
of students respectively brush their teeth both in the
morning and before bed.
Table 3 presents the answers concerning the frequency
of changing one’s toothbrush. Statistical differences
among the students of engineering, MBA/BBM,
nursing/pharmacy and B.Com in the frequencies of
Table 1: Oral hygiene methods used among study
groups
Answers Engineering
students,
n (%)
MBA/
BBM
students,
n (%)
Nursing/
pharmacy
students,
n (%)
B.Com
students,
n (%)
P
Tooth brush
and tooth pate
120 (59.4) 53 (53.5) 54 (54.5) 77 (77.8) 0.003
Dental oss 9 (4.5) 1 (1) 2 (2.0) 1 (1)
Mouth wash 11 (5.4) 6 (6.1) 2 (2.0) 4 (4.0)
All of the above 62 (30.7) 39 (39.4) 41 (41.5) 17 (17.2)
Total 202 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100)
Table 2: Frequency of brushing among study groups
Answers Engineering
students,
n (%)
MBA/
BBM
students,
n (%)
Nursing/
pharmacy
students,
n (%)
B.Com
students,
n (%)
P
At morning 89 (44.1) 31 (31.2) 42 (42.5) 46 (46.4) 1.15
Before bed 10 (5) 4 (4) 2 (2.0) 2 (2)
At morning
and before bed
95 (47) 63 (63.8) 54 (54.5) 49 (49.5)
Other times 8 (3.9) 1 (1) 1 (1) 2 (2)
Total 202 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100)
Table 3: Frequency of changing toothbrush among
study groups
Answers Engineering
students,
n (%)
MBA/
BBM
students,
n (%)
Nursing/
pharmacy
students,
n (%)
B.Com
students,
n (%)
P
Every month 89 (44.1) 55 (55.6) 38 (38.4) 49 (49.5) 0.10
Every 3 months 74 (36.6) 24 (24.2) 38 (38.4) 38 (38.4)
<6 months 21 (10.4) 12 (12.1) 10 (10.1) 8 (8.1)
Every 6 months 18 (8.9) 8 (8.1) 13 (13.1) 4 (4)
Total 202 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100)
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Gopikrishna, et al.: KAP of oral hygiene
77
Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
Vol. 14, Issue 1, | January-March 2016
changing one’s toothbrush every month, every 3 months,
<6 months and every 6 months: 44.1%, 55.6%, 38.4%,
and 49.5% students respectively said that a toothbrush
should be changed every month; 36.6%, 24.2%, 38.4%,
and 38.4% students respectively said it should be
changed every 3 months.
It was observed that 73.3% engineering, 69.7% MBA/BBM,
74.8% nursing/pharmacy and 67.7% B.Com students felt
that the health of the mouth and dentition had an impact
on the health of the body (P = 0.03) [Table 4].
About 27.8% engineering, 21.2% MBA/BBM, 29.3%
nursing/pharmacy and 32.3% B.Com students felt
that gingivitis can be prevented by tooth brushing and
ossing. Many of them felt that gingivitis can be prevented
by taking in soft foods or Vitamin C. 228 (45.6%) students
answered that they did not know how to prevent
gingivitis. There was a signicant difference in their
knowledge (P = 0.03) [Table 5].
The visits to the dentist did not show any interesting
trends. A large number of students, 140 (28.05%) had
never been to a dentist, and 191 (38.7%) only went to a
dentist when in pain. Only 77 (15.43%) students observed
the recommended six‑twelve monthly dental visits. Again,
distribution of this indicator of oral hygiene attitude
within the two schools was equal as 39.1% of engineering,
42.4% MBA/BBM, 34.3% nursing/pharmacy and 36.4%
B.Com students visited the dentists only when driven by
pain. Similarly, 27.7% of engineering, 16.2% MBA/BBM,
37% nursing/pharmacy and 31% B.Com students had
never been to the dentist. This similarity in oral health
attitude was not signicant (P = 0.07) [Table 6].
Statistically significant differences were observed
among the students of engineering, MBA/BBM,
nursing/pharmacy and B.Com when they were
asked if they could decide on the treatment that they
require (P = 0.001) [Table 7] and when asked if it
was necessary for patients to decide their treatment
needs (P = 0.01) [Table 8].
This study showed that 87.1% engineering, 81.8%
MBA/BBM, 84.8% nursing/pharmacy and 75.6% B.Com
students felt that brushing the teeth will prevent dental
decay. The others answered that there would not be any
inuence (P = 0.16) [Table 9].
DISCUSSION
Knowledge and awareness studies on oral hygiene among
students have been primarily conducted among dental
college students with health sciences backgrounds.
Keeping in mind the expected role to be played by the
student community on the whole in effecting a behavioral
change in the society, a need is felt for assessing the oral
hygiene knowledge, attitude and behavior of professional
students with different educational backgrounds.
Table 4: Response of study groups to the question
“does health of the mouth and dentition impact the
health of the body”?
Answers Engineering
students,
n (%)
MBA/
BBM
students,
n (%)
Nursing/
pharmacy
students,
n (%)
B.Com
students,
n (%)
P
Yes 148 (73.3) 69 (69.7) 74 (74.8) 67 (67.7) 0.03
No 37 (18.3) 11 (11.1) 12 (12.1) 12 (12.1)
Don’t know 17 (8.4) 19 (19.2) 13 (13.1) 20 (20.2)
Total 202 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100)
Table 5: Response of study groups to the question
“methods to prevent gum diseases”
Answers Engineering
students,
n (%)
MBA/
BBM
students,
n (%)
Nursing/
pharmacy
students,
n (%)
B.Com
students,
n (%)
P
Brushing
and ossing
56 (27.8) 21 (21.2) 29 (29.3) 32 (32.3) 0.03
Soft food 9 (4.4) 8 (8.1) 9 (9.1) 7 (7.1)
Vitamin C 35 (17.3) 23 (23.2) 29 (29.3) 13 (13.1)
Don’t know 102 (50.5) 47 (47.5) 32 (32.3) 47 (47.5)
Total 202 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100)
Table 6: Frequency of visiting a dentist among study
groups
Answers Engineering
students,
n (%)
MBA/
BBM
students,
n (%)
Nursing/
pharmacy
students,
n (%)
B.Com
students,
n (%)
P
Regularly every
6‑12 months
32 (15.8) 20 (20.2) 15 (15.2) 10 (10.1) 0.07
Occasionally 35 (17.4) 21 (21.2) 13 (13.1) 22 (22.2)
When I have
dental pain
79 (39.1) 42 (42.4) 34 (34.3) 36 (36.4)
I never visited
a dentist
56 (27.7) 16 (16.2) 37 (37.4) 31 (31.3)
Total 202 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100)
Table 7: Response of study groups to the question “do
you think you can decide the treatment you need”?
Answers Engineering
students,
n (%)
MBA/
BBM
students,
n (%)
Nursing/
pharmacy
students,
n (%)
B.Com
students,
n (%)
P
Yes 83 (41.1) 45 (45.5) 40 (40.4) 67 (67.7) 0.001
No 119 (58.9) 54 (54.5) 59 (59.6) 32 (32.3)
Total 202 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100)
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Gopikrishna, et al.: KAP of oral hygiene
78
Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
Vol. 14, Issue 1, | January-March 2016
In the study[3] which compared the oral hygiene practices
in dental and pharmacy students, it was found that
toothbrush with toothpaste was the most common oral
hygiene tool used for cleaning teeth by 423 (92%) students
while only 7 (1.6%) used traditional methods of miswak,
dandasa, rock salt, etc., only. Toothbrush and toothpaste
were the most commonly used oral hygiene aids, as that
reported elsewhere[4‑7] However, the use of dental oss
was still not very popular among the secondary school
students as evident in this study (11.5%). This was in
contrast with the nding in San Francisco where 75%
of the 12–14 years old students there used dental oss
at least once per day and in Iraq where over half of the
students used dental oss once or more a week.[4,8]
This study revealed all of the respondents were using
a toothbrush and toothpaste to clean their teeth. This
result reects on the homogeneity of the study group
with the current lifestyle (hostel, campus, and access to
dental care) inuences overpowering the varying cultural
backgrounds from which the students come. The use of
other recommended oral hygiene methods such as dental
oss and mouthwash was found to be rare; this also
could be attributed to the lack of oral health education
and/or the cost of such aids.
In a study,[9] 95.7% of the students brushed their
teeth at least twice a day, which was more than twice
the figure (44.4%) reported by WHO.[10] There were
95.7% of the students who brushed their teeth at least
twice or more per day, which was higher than Finnish
adolescents[11] girls were found to brush their teeth more
frequently, and spent longer time during toothbrushing
as compared to boys, supported by other studies[6,7,11‑14] A
study,[3] stated that 282 (61.3%) students brushed their
teeth twice or more times a day, 163 (35.4%) brushed at
least once a day while only 11 (2.4%) claimed to not brush
their teeth on a daily basis. In our study, most of the
students had satisfactory knowledge on tooth brushing
practices. It was encouraging to note that all participants
reported to brush their teeth at least once a day although
they did not know how to brush systematically.
In a study,[1] 71.8% students of dentistry (71.9% 2nd‑year
and 75.95% 5th‑year students), 61.49% students of
medicine (68.8% 2nd‑year and 47.1% 5th‑year students)
and 54.4% of students of polytechnics (49.5% 2nd‑year
and 61.3% 5th‑year students) change their toothbrush
every 3 months. Statistically significant differences
were found concerning the answer of changing one’s
toothbrush every month among the students of dentistry,
medicine, and polytechnics: 10.26%, 11.49% and
18.68% students, respectively (P = 0.041). In a study,[15]
a comparison of the two groups for the frequency of
renewal of toothbrush showed a statistically signicant
result with 32.5% respondents among the engineering
group changing their brush every month as compared to
13.3% among the medical group. Fraying was the most
common reason cited for the renewal of toothbrush in
both the groups. These results were in accordance with
the results of our study.
In a study,[16] most of the medical (80%), dental (96%)
and paramedical (85%) students considers oral
health as important as maintaining a good general
health (P < 0.001). This result was in accordance with
the results of our study as students felt that the health
of the mouth and dentition had an impact on the health
of the body. The study also showed that only a small
proportion of medical (20%), paramedical (12%), and
dental (34%) thought that visiting dentist was the right
way to prevent dental problems while a greater majority
held the belief that tooth brushing with paste was the
right option (P < 0.001).
A study,[17] showed that pain is the main driving factor for
patients to visit the dentist. Most of the study subjects in
this study reported irregular dental attendance, and this
nding is consistent with the ndings of other studies.
In this study, there was no difference in the frequency of
dental visits, and the most common reason for a dental
visit was cited to be pain. This may be due to the lack of
oral health knowledge among these students that caused
the frequency of visit low. Low dental visits may probably
due to low awareness of the importance of oral health
thus affects the student’s health seeking behavior.
CONCLUSION
The toothbrush with toothpaste is the most common
oral hygiene aid used for cleaning teeth; it was observed
that a greater number of students brushed their teeth
in the morning. Dental pain was the main reason to
visit a dentist. The majority of the students felt that
Table 8: Response of study groups to the question
“is it necessary for patients to decide their dental
treatment needs”?
Answers Engineering
students,
n (%)
MBA/
BBM
students,
n (%)
Nursing/
pharmacy
students,
n (%)
B.Com
students,
n (%)
P
Yes 128 (63.4) 79 (79.8) 70 (70.7) 76 (76.8) 0.01
No 74 (36.6) 20 (20.2) 29 (29.3) 23 (23.2)
Total 202 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100)
Table 9: Response of study groups to the question
“does brushing teeth prevent dental decay”?
Answers Engineering
students,
n (%)
MBA/
BBM
students,
n (%)
Nursing/
pharmacy
students,
n (%)
B.Com
students,
n (%)
P
Yes 176 (87.1) 81 (81.8) 84 (84.8) 75 (75.6) 0.16
No 26 (12.9) 18 (18.2) 15 (15.2) 24 (24.2)
Total 202 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100) 99 (100)
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Gopikrishna, et al.: KAP of oral hygiene
79
Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
Vol. 14, Issue 1, | January-March 2016
patients should be given autonomy to decide their dental
treatment. Effective oral health education and promotion
programs are needed to improve oral health knowledge,
attitude, and practices of the students.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conicts of interest
There are no conicts of interest.
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... The findings demonstrate that the majority of students seek dental care only when experiencing pain in their teeth, gums, or mouth. This is consistent with V. Gopikrishna's 2016 study in Bengaluru city, which identified pain as the primary motivator for patients to visit the dentist, strongly supporting our current research (12). ...
... In current study shows that 73.2% of students were aware of importance of teeth while study conducted by Humagain M in 2011 among rural Nepal shows that most participants were aware of importance of regular dental attendance (71%) which strongly support our current conducted study (12). Current study shows that 14.8% students claimed to not brush their teeth on daily basis while study conducted in 2016 among college student at Bengaluru city shows that (2.4%) claimed to not brush their teeth on a daily basis which is dissimilar from our conducted study the reason behind that may be due to the deficiency of practices of oral hygiene among university students due to bust routine (12). ...
... In current study shows that 73.2% of students were aware of importance of teeth while study conducted by Humagain M in 2011 among rural Nepal shows that most participants were aware of importance of regular dental attendance (71%) which strongly support our current conducted study (12). Current study shows that 14.8% students claimed to not brush their teeth on daily basis while study conducted in 2016 among college student at Bengaluru city shows that (2.4%) claimed to not brush their teeth on a daily basis which is dissimilar from our conducted study the reason behind that may be due to the deficiency of practices of oral hygiene among university students due to bust routine (12). Current study shows that, 202 (73.26%) students knows that regular visit to dentist is necessary while study of Elsabagh HM, in 2017 Among majmaah university female student, KSA only 20.9% know that regular dentist visit is necessary which is in contrast to current study due to only limited to female students (4). ...
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Objective: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices concerning oral hygiene among students at GANDHARA University Peshawar. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at GANDHARA University, involving all students from the health sciences department. The sample size of the study was 202, while utilized convenience sampling to gather participants. The data was collected through valid and reliable questionnaire. The data were analyzed through SPSS, and permission were taken for data collection while informed consent were obtained from each participant. Findings: The study included 202 participants, comprising 162 (80.19%) males and 40 (19.18%) females. Regarding oral health status, 33 (16.33%) students exhibited normal teeth and gum condition, 138 (68.31%) demonstrated good oral health, and 31 (15.34%) showed excellent teeth and gum condition. Summary: This research provided insights into oral hygiene awareness, attitudes, and behaviors among GANDHARA University Peshawar students. While overall oral health awareness was satisfactory, there is room for improvement in knowledge and practices. To address this, it is recommended that oral health promotion and awareness initiatives be incorporated into the curriculum promptly. The study revealed inadequate knowledge about dental floss and insufficient oral hygiene practices. Enhanced focus on oral health care education programs is necessary to improve student understanding and habits.
... [3] Recognition, treatment and prevention of oral diseases is the art and practice of dental hygiene so good oral hygiene is the ground for avoiding 80% of dental problems. [4] Having improved oral hygiene involves a clean and healthy mouth, which can be achieved by proper brushing and flossing of teeth. The most effective method of maintaining good oral hygiene is mechanically removing plaque by tooth brushing, if done correctly and efficiently which in turn helps in promoting better gingival health by reducing plaque. ...
... [12] Medical and dental professionals in their routine course of study come across many people of different age groups and backgrounds hence with proper knowledge and behavior they can educate and demonstrate correct methods to practice and maintain oral health and can act as role models not only for their family but also for the community at large scale. [4] Being part of basic science faculty this study could help us understand better and could facilitate if any addition is required in their curriculum to get them Section: Dentistry to understand the importance of good oral health and get them to spread awareness among general population. According to our results, medical nonclinical students have more knowledge, attitude and practice regarding oral health and related diseases due to more number of participants in that group. ...
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Background: The unawareness of oral health affects the quality of life and its daily activities causing multiple oral manifestations such as caries, periodontal disease and gingivitis. Therefore, the aim of this study was undertaken to compare the knowledge regarding oral hygiene of medical and dental students of clinical and non-clinical level and to evaluate their behavior towards gingival health. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done at Sir Syed College of Medical Sciences, Karachi for girls, from July to August 2019 including medical and dental non-clinical and clinical students. A self-administered questionnaire was given to all study participants who gave consent to be participated in the study. Data was analysis using SPSS version 17.0 through descriptive analysis, frequencies and one way Anova was performed to compare means. Results: Total 226 medical and dental graduates participated in the study with mostly aged between 18-21 years (69.2%) from medical (55.5%) non-clinical (37.9%) section. While assessing knowledge of oral hygiene variable means were compared with age, field and year of study. When the behavior of study population towards gingivitis was evaluated only age group displayed significant results. Conclusion: Both medical and dental practitioners should also have appropriate knowledge of oral diseases and should play an active role in oral health promotion because many systemic diseases has oral manifestations as well. It is concluded from our study that medical students has more knowledge and practices related to oral health and related diseases thus more studies should be done.
... The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified oral health promotion in schools as a crucial technique for addressing these issues and preventing oral illnesses. As poor dental hygiene can lead to serious health problems, it is essential that people understand the importance of maintaining good oral health (Gopikrishna et al., 2016). Children's overall health and well-being can be improved with early instillation of oral health care practices such brushing, flossing, and frequent dental visits (Suga et al., 2014). ...
... To sum up, maintaining good oral hygiene is crucial in the fight against tooth cavities and periodontal disease. Too few people in many cultures understand the need of good oral hygiene, and many people still use outdated techniques like using salt water to rinse their mouths after eating (Gopikrishna et al., 2016). Having a parent present during a child's daily oral care routine is important for the child's dental health (Amin & Al-Abad, 2008). ...
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The study examined the knowledge, attitudes and practices of oral hygiene among students in Ahenema Kokoben. The study employed descriptive design of the quantitative approach. The study sampled 60 respondents of which 85 was made up of students. The study employed questionnaire. With the quantitative data, it was analysed using frequencies and percentages with the aid of Statistical Package for Service Solution. The study found that students were knowledgeable about oral hygiene. Students have good attitude towards oral hygiene. They thought that brushing their teeth regularly will help prevent oral problems; regular visit to dentist is relevant; and think that maintaining good healthy teeth is an individual responsibility. Students have good practice regarding oral hygiene. Respondents spend small time in brushing their teeth while small respondents brush under the supervision of their parents. It was recommended that students should be encouraged to continue to visit the dentist regularly and not to wait till they have issue with their teeth. Also, students should be encouraged to spend more time in brushing their teeth regularly and also twice a day. Moreover, parents should be encouraged to supervise their children when brushing their teeth, especially, among students who have decayed teeth or oral problems. Students should be educated or sensitize about the negative effect of sweet on their oral health. Rinsing of their mouth after meals should be encouraged among students to ensure proper oral hygiene.
... Lamentablemente se tiene una errónea preconcepción de la importancia de la higiene oral, como un aspecto secundario de las salud de individuo por parte de la mayoría de la población en general [7][8] , dejando muchas veces de lado la importancia que esta tiene sobre la salud sistémica del individuo 9 , puesto que la mala salud bucal se ha asociado con cáncer, enfermedades inflamatorias, enfermedades cardiovasculares, diabetes, resultados adversos del embarazo y osteoporosis 10,12 , también se ha demostrado que la mayoría de las enfermedades sistémicas tienen manifestaciones bucales, pudiendo tomarse en cuenta el estado de la salud oral como un indicador de la salud general de la persona 13,15 . ...
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Introducción: El nivel de conocimiento de los métodos de higiene oral es un factor clave en el cuidado de la salud oral de la población de cualquier país. Objetivos: Determinar la frecuencia de conocimientos sobre métodos de higiene oral en adultos en la parroquia “Cumbe” Cuenca, 2021. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, con enfoque cualitativo, de tipo documental, comunicacional y transversal actual, mediante la realización de encuestas, en la parroquia Cumbe, con una población de 5.546 habitantes, de los cuales, mediante criterios de inclusión y exclusión, además del uso de la fórmula de cálculo de muestra para población finita, se estableció finalmente una muestra de 400 individuos. Resultados: El nivel de conocimiento alto presentó una frecuencia del 18,25%, el nivel medio obtuvo la frecuencia más alta correspondiente al 52,25% y el nivel bajo fue de 29,5%. Conclusiones: La mayor frecuencia se encontró en el nivel de conocimiento medio sobre los hábitos de higiene oral en adultos en la parroquia “Cumbe” Cuenca, 2021.
... The use of toothbrush for cleaning teeth was one of the less popular instruments as only used by around 20% of seafarers [20] and fishermen from India [65,66]. In other surveys in different populations, toothbrush was used as the most common oral hygiene aid [104,105]. The difference may result from the lack of adequate dental knowledge or isolated work environment that makes these oral hygiene instruments less affordable during long voyages. ...
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Objectives The aim of this study is to provide an updated overview of the oral health status and associated risk factors in maritime settings. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Ovid Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and SCOPUS from January 2010 to April 2023. Two independent reviewers extracted the data. The quality of included studies was assessed using relevant assessment tools. Results A total of 260 records were found in the initial search; 24 articles met the inclusion criteria. Most studies had descriptive design, and only two randomized controlled trials were found. The main oral health issues noted are oral cancer, dental caries, periodontal diseases, oral mucosal lesions, and dental emergency. Male seafarers have higher risk of oral cancers in the tongue, lips, and oral cavity while oral mucosal lesions are more prevalent among fishermen. Conclusions Dental caries and periodontal diseases are prevalent in both seafarers and fishermen. The consumption of tobacco, alcohol, fermentable carbohydrate, and poor oral hygiene are risk factors that affect the oral health status at sea. The occurrence of oral diseases in maritime setting requires more attention of researchers and authorities to develop strategies to tackle these issues. Trial registration Systematic review registration number in PROSPERO: CRD42020168692.
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Introduction The wisdom teeth usually erupt at the age of 17–25 years leading to the risk of pericoronitis, caries, periodontitis, anterior crowding of teeth and cyst development. Previous studies have reported that the third molar infection is more associated with the age group of 26–35 years and is more commonly reported in the female gender. Aims Hence, the aim was to assess knowledge regarding third molar infections among women degree college students. Method ology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 600 students in three women's degree colleges. Awareness and oral health practices were recorded using a supervised self-administered structured questionnaire. The third molar status was recorded by two calibrated examiners. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, independent T-test and chi-square tests were used to interpret the data. Results The prevalence of dental caries and pericoronitis with respect to the third molar was 22.5 % and 10.5 % respectively. 63 % expressed no awareness regarding problems associated with third molars. Only 27.2 % were aware of the impact of third molar infection on general health. Mean awareness score was 3.22 ± 1.60. There was a significant increase in awareness of third molars with age. Presence of dental caries significantly affects knowledge score, with those having dental caries (3.68) having a higher score. Conclusion This study emphasizes the importance of comprehensive oral health education programs tailored to the needs of students in different educational institutions. By raising awareness about third-molar-related complications and promoting regular dental check-ups, these programs can contribute to improving oral health outcomes among young adults.
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Objectives General health is intimately related to oral health. Since primary care doctors are the main healthcare providers in society and many systemic disorders present themselves orally, it is imperative that medical students and professionals comprehend oral health and its importance. The study’s aims were to determine the comprehension of oral hygiene practices and brushing teeth strategies among a sample of Iraqi medical graduates. Material and Methods A cross-sectional study involved 100 medical undergraduates at Ibn Sina University, College of Medicine in Baghdad, Iraq, during the period from (September to November 2022) after obtaining informed approval. Results Our participants were 57.0% male and 43.0% female, ranging in age from 20 to 24 years old, the majority of students (82.0%) brush their teeth daily, but (18.0%) they did not, regarding toothbrushing techniques, the majority (34.0%) use a combined (horizontal and vertical) technique, (29.0%) vertical, (17.0%) horizontal, and (20.0%) circular, regarding time spent on brushing teeth, 47.0% taking 1 min, 29.0% taking between 2 and 3 min, 18.0% taking less than a minute, and 6.0% taking more than 4 min, and (52.0%) of students use a medium brush, while (31.0%) use a soft brush, and (5.0%) use a hard brush, the remaining (12.0%) not knowing the type of brush they employ, the dental floss was known to (65.0%) of participants, while 35.0% were unaware of its existence, there was no significant correlation between regularity of brushing and the number of visits to the dentist for scaling ( P > 0.05). Conclusion It would be valuable for medical graduates to attend educational society gatherings and continued dental training courses to increase their understanding of their oral hygiene.
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Objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine the knowledge about oral hygiene aids among dental students. Methods: A questionnaire survey which consists of self-administered validated, structured, 15 close-end multiple choice questions about oral hygiene aids were circulated among 413 undergraduate dental students from Dharmsinh Desai University. The data extracted was tabulated, statistically analyzed and results obtained. Results: According to this survey, toothbrush with toothpaste was the most common oral hygiene tool used for cleaning teeth but the use of interdental aids and chemical plaque control agents are not very popular among the dental students. 68% students know the contents of the toothpaste. According to this study, 95 % of students know the proper brushing technique but only 33% of students brush with the correct vertical motion. Conclusion: Dental students has excellent knowledge about oral hygiene aids, irrespective being students working in preclinic or clinics. Interns has good knowledge about oral hygiene aids, which will help them in their clinical practice. The attitude and behavior toward oral health maintenance of the dental professionals reflect their understanding of the preventive oral health measures, and this is very important for the improvement of their patient's oral health.
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This study focused on the knowledge and practices of oral hygiene among students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt. Rivers State, Nigeria. The descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study. The sample size for this study was 360. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and chi-square test was used for testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that majority (91.7%) of the respondents had good knowledge of oral health hygiene. The findings of the study revealed that majority (83.3%) respondents practiced oral health hygiene. The tested hypotheses revealed that there was a significant association between knowledge of oral hygiene and age (X 2 value =13.878; df =3; p<0.05) and culture (X 2 value =17.143; df =3; p<0.05) among students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. The result also revealed that there was a significant association between knowledge of oral hygiene and age (X 2 value =12.877; df =3; p<0.05), gender (X 2 value =19.061; df =1; p<0.05), socioeconomic status(X 2 value =9.717; df =3; p<0.05) and culture (X 2 value =75.143; df =3; p<0.05) among students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. It was concluded that socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and culture influences the knowledge and practice of oral hygiene. The study recommended among others that the Government, ministries of health and non-governmental organizations at all level should mount more intensive enlightenment campaigns through public talk, seminars, conferences and workshop to create more awareness on the need for practice of oral health to prevent diseases associated with poor oral hygiene.
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The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of school children towards oral health and dental care as well as to evaluate the factors that determine these variables. School children (n=557) of an average age of 13.5 years attending public schools in North Jordan were recruited into this study. The subjects completed a questionnaire that aimed to evaluate young school children's behavior, knowledge, and perception of their oral health and dental treatment. The partici-pants' oral hygiene habits (such as tooth brushing) were found to be irregular, and parents' role in the oral hygiene habits of their children was limited. The study population showed higher awareness of caries than periodontal conditions. Irregular visits to the dentist were found to be common, and toothache was the major driving factor for dental visits. Children had positive attitudes toward their dentists; nevertheless, they indicated that they feared dental treatment. The children in this study also recognized the importance of oral health to the well-being of the rest of the body. Parents were not proactive in making sure that their children received regular dental care. Parents' knowledge and attitudes about the importance of oral health care and their fears about dental treatment influenced their children's dental care. The results of this study indicate that children's and parents' attitudes toward oral health and dental care need to be improved. Comprehensive oral health educational programs for both children and their parents are required to achieve this goal.
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Medical, Dental and Paramedical students play an important role in oral health care and promotion. Learning in these professional institutions becomes ineffective unless it leads to a profound change in student' s behavior and attitude towards improvement of their own personal health. This study aims to find out the difference in oral health knowledge and behavior of clinical medical, dental and paramedical students in the Yenepoya Educational Institutions, Mangalore.
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Dental caries is a major health problem affecting an estimated 90% of school children worldwide. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices among secondary school students in Kuching, Sarawak. Data was collected using a pretested questionnaire on 209 randomly selected students from four schools. Results showed no significant differences between the gender and age groups in terms of knowledge level, but significant differences were observed between the schools. The students had positive attitude towards the dental services, but their dental visits were still low due to fear of dental needle and handpieces. Toothbrush and toothpaste were still the most commonly used oral hygiene aids. As compared to parents and friends, dentist was perceived to have more influence on oral hygiene practices among the students. Girls consumed more sweets, snacks and soft drinks than boys. However, girls spent longer time to brush their teeth and brush more frequently. Oral health education should be a life-long practice and incorporated into the school environment with the support of teachers and parents.
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Only recently have behavioral aspects been taken into consideration in oral health studies in China; thus, relevant information on perceptions in adult Chinese about oral health care is inadequate. In 1996-97, a large-scale oral epidemiological study was conducted in Southern China. Among its objectives were to describe the oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the urban and rural adults living in Southern China and to analyze the influence of selected demographic and socio-economic factors. From 8 urban and 8 rural communities in Guangdong Province, 1,573 35- to 44-year-olds and 1,515 65- to 74-year-olds were sampled. Specially trained interviewers from the staff of local government or hospitals conducted face-to-face structured interviews. Almost all of the middle-aged and more than 90% of the dentate elderly surveyed claimed that they brushed their teeth every day and used toothpaste during toothbrushing, but awareness about fluoride content was lacking. The respondents had poor oral health knowledge but positive attitudes toward oral health, providing a basis for more community-based oral health education programs, especially targeting adults who are less-well-educated and have fewer socio-economic advantages.
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The present study was part of the project "Health Behavior in Schoolchildren. A WHO Cross National Survey". The distribution of eight dental health behaviors among Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish schoolchildren aged 11, 13, and 15 yr was studied separately for boys and girls. The sample size approximated 3000 individuals for each country, and the samples are considered to be representative for whole countries. The distinction between individual and collective behavior was empirically supported in this study. Thus collective behaviors (supervised fluoride rinsing and distribution of fluoride tablets) did not vary according to sex but declined with increasing age. On the other hand, individual behaviors varied according to sex and tended to increase in frequency with increasing age. The levels of the studied dental health behaviors were different among the three countries. This may be related to country-specific preventive policies as well as social and cultural norms.
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The purpose of this study was to examine the oral health knowledge and reported practices of sixth grade students in Wichita, Kansas. A quasi-experimental design was used to test differences between two groups: (1) children who had completed a four-year regimen referred to as the National Preventive Dentistry Demonstration Program (NPDDP), and (2) a control group of children who had not been exposed to any aspect of the NPDDP. Based on incidental learning theory, the research question was whether or not students'knowledge and practices were consistent with the preventive regimes provided at school. The study reported here was not directly connected with the NPDDP. A school nurse-administered questionnaire was obtained from 284 students 16 months after the NPDDP had terminated. Students in all groups reported similar dental health practices; no practical differences were found among groups with regard to knowledge about appropriate fluoride uses and benefits. Students who received sealants were somewhat more knowledgeable about the use and purpose of sealants. Although students in five of the six NPDDP groups had received preventive regimens, these data suggest that they lacked awareness and understanding of the procedures and their value in preventing oral diseases. Generally, students were unable to discriminate among methods appropriate for preventing dental caries and periodontal diseases. Education regarding the purpose and value of preventive regimens should be consistent with, and an integral part of, the delivery of such services.
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A field experiment was done to evaluate the short term effects of a series of classroom preventive dentistry presentations on dental health knowledge, attitudes and reported behavior of adolescents. Eight hundred fifty-four boys and girls, 12-14-yr-old students enrolled in San Francisco middle schools, were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. A written test composed of questions relating to factual dental health knowledge, home care practices, and attitudes to dental health was answered by the experimental group at the beginning and end of the educational intervention and at comparable time intervals by the controls. Results showed a significant increase in knowledge for the experimental group (P less than 0.001), as compared with the control group. Pre-existing attitudes were generally positive for most subjects. Although the educational intervention resulted in no significant differences between the two groups with regard to attitude, there was a significant positive change in attitude within the experimental group (P less than 0.01) from pre- to posttest. In addition, there was a significant increase in the frequency with which the girls in the experimental group reportedly used the toothbrush (P = 0.01) and dental floss (P = 0.01).
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To analyse trends in development of the toothbrushing frequency of Finnish adolescents and the socio-economic factors associated with these trends between 1977 and 1995. The data were collected as part of a nation-wide research programme, the Adolescent Health and Lifestyle Survey, which started in 1977. Since then a 12-page questionnaire has been sent every other year. Dental health behaviour was studied from the outset. The sample represented 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-year-old children and adolescents in Finland. The sample size varied between 3,205-10,626, making a total of 66,687 participants. The recommended toothbrushing frequency, twice-a-day, was studied. The socio-economic factors included age, gender, self-assessed school performance, level of education, socio-economic status of the householder, and socio-economic category of the residential area. Among boys, daily toothbrushing increased from 1977 to 1995, but among girls it remained stable. Among boys, the prevalence of twice-a-day toothbrushing frequency varied from 13 per cent to 25 per cent between the ages of 12 and 18 years, and among girls from 32 per cent to 60 per cent, respectively. Among 12- to 14-year-old boys, the socio-economic differences almost disappeared. There were no changes among 12- to 14-year-old girls but there was an unexpected declining trend in toothbrushing among 16- to 18-year-old girls. Apparently further improvement in the toothbrushing frequency of girls had stopped. Although there was a clear trend towards improvement of toothbrushing frequency among boys, their toothbrushing frequency still lagged far behind that of girls.