Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Towards oral Health Among Military Cadets in Nepal

Introduction: Oral Health is an integral part of general health and is important to ensure professional readiness in army personnel. The main aim of this study is to assess the oral health knowledge, attitudes, and oral hygiene methods practiced by military cadets in Nepal. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 548 military cadets at the Nepali Military Academy. Semi - structured questionnaire were given to the cadets using google form Data was collected and analyzed by using SPSS version 16.0 statistical software and Microsoft Excel. Correlation between knowledge, attitude and practice was calculated. Results: Among 548 military cadets, oral health was regarded as an essential component of overall health by 516 (94%). The goal of brushing teeth which is to avoid gum disease and tooth decay was clear among 368 (67.15%). It was known by 398 (72.62%) that smoking cigarettes, chewing pan, and chewing guthka are harmful to one's health. On the other hand, 396 (72.26%) smoked cigarettes and engaged in pan and guthka chewing. Conclusions: This study found that the cadets had adequate knowledge about oral health and considered oral health as integral part of general health. However, despite having knowledge on oral health; the knowledge wasn’t wisely used in their attitude and practice. Thus, there seems need of learning by doing approach to aware and motivate them to use their knowledge into their practice and behavior.