ASSESSMENT OF THE ORAL BEHAVIOUR, KNOWLEDGE, AND STATUS AMONG UNDERGRADUATES BELONGING TO MULTIDISCIPLINARY HEALTH SCIENCES AT A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Objective: To assess the oral health behaviour, knowledge, and status of undergraduate students studying multidisciplinary health sciences at a private university.

Methodology: An analytical cross-sectional study was performed among n=400 undergraduate students selected through non-probability convenience sampling. The study duration was six months after approval from the ethical review committee. Data was collected by administering a self-reported questionnaire based on the domains related to oral health behaviour, knowledge, and status.

Results: Of n=400, 71% (n=284) of study subjects reported tooth brushing twice a day, and 49.5% (n=198) stated two minutes the duration of brushing. Regarding oral health knowledge, 35% (n=140) subjects stated that increased consumption of sugar causes dental caries, 53% (n=212) stated that hard tooth brushing leads to bleeding gums, 60.3% (n=241) said that fluoride application prevents oral diseases like dental caries. Regarding oral health status, 25.8% (n=103) said tooth discoloration, and 23.3% (n=93) had tooth hypersensitivity. Oral health behaviours were statistically insignificant among all five disciplines (p > 0.975, F (4, 395)= 0.120. Whereas oral health knowledge was statistically significant (p<0.001, H(4)=52.21) among dental and medical study subjects as compared to study subjects belonging to nursing, pharmacy, and rehabilitation sciences.

Conclusion: Oral health behaviour was statistically insignificant among participants from dental, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and rehabilitation sciences. However, oral health knowledge was statistically significant among participants in dental and medicine disciplines as compared to nursing, pharmacy, and rehabilitation sciences.