Evaluation of oral hygiene awareness and practice among medical students

The aim of this study is to compare oral-health knowledge, attitude and self-care practice behavior among medical students. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out on 1st year MBBS students. All the students present on the day of data collection were included in the study. Data was collected by pretested questionnaire and analysed using percentages. Results: Awareness among students about oral hygiene was good. All students in our study were brushing the teeth at least daily with toothbrush and paste. Only few students (6.92%) were using fluoride toothpaste and 93.07% were unaware of fluoride content. Nearly all students restrained from Alcohol Consumption and Tobacco Use. About 23.84% students had Pain /Discomfort in Past 12 Months and 16.15% consulted dentist. About 57% students visited dentist in last 5 years and most common reason was toothache.Conclusions: The better result among medical students could be due to their better knowledge and socioeconomic conditions. Developing countries show lack of awareness and poor oral hygiene habits among large sections of the population, increasing the risk of oral health problems. More awareness should be created among general population to improve the oral health.