Khizra Rehman
Aim: The study was conducted to assess the awareness and practices on oral hygiene and its association with the sociodemographic factors among patients attending the general Outpatient Department (OPD).
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 patients attending the general OPD of Ziauddin University for a period of 3 months. The study tool was a pre-designed and pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0
Results: About 71% of the participants used a toothbrush with toothpaste as a method of cleaning their teeth; 20% brushed twice in a day; Only 6% used mouthwash. About 35% visited the dentist during the last six months; among them 73% attended because of pain. Almost three-fourth of the participants knew that tooth decay and bad breath were the effects of not cleaning the teeth. It was known to 65, 60, 45, and 78% of the respondents, respectively, that excess sweet, cold drink, alcohol, and smoking/pan chewing were bad for dental health. Television was the source of knowledge to 57% of the participants and 30% acquired their knowledge from a dentist. Females, literates, urban residents, users of mouthwash, and regular visitors to the dentist had good oral hygiene practices.
Conclusions: Oral health awareness and practices among the study population are poor and need to improve. Massive oral health campaigns are required to educate the patients so that they can prevent disease and remain healthy.