KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE & PRACTICE ABOUT ORAL HYGIENE IN STUDENTS OF DISTRICT PESHAWAR

Abstract

To compare the Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) about OH in school children of rural and urban area, age 10–15 year of University Town, Peshawar. The knowledge, attitude and practice regarding OH in 800 school children (10-15year) of both genders were compared between rural and urban areas. It was a comparative study with systematic random sampling. A well-arranged questionnaire was applied. A pilot study was carried out on 10% of the sample population. SPSS version 21.0 was used to analysis the data. Rural children were statistically significant about knowledge. Whereas, In Urban children there was on significant difference. In rural children, significantly boys were more aware of the benefits of toothbrush and dental flossing (p<0.001) whereas, in urban more girls were aware of tooth brushing (p=0.01) and dental flossing (p=0.006). In rural only 42.8% of the respondents, significantly more girls (p<0.001), brushed their teeth at least twice a day whereas, in urban (66.8%) more girls were brushing their teeth twice daily (p=0.02). 33.5%, mainly boys (p<0.01), used vertical motion while 39.7% mainly girls (p<0.01) preferred combination motion of the brush for cleaning their teeth, whereas more urban girls preferred (41.4%) brushing their teeth with circular motion(p=0.01). Hence, the basic knowledge of OH was lacking in both genders of rural area as compare to the urban children of both the genders.