Assessment of Awareness and Practices about Oral Hygiene among General Public of Nagpur City- A Cross Sectional Survey

Introduction Oral cavity is the gateway of our body. So for a health body one’s oral cavity should be healthy. Many researchers have proven the fact that unhealthy oral cavity is the cause of many systemic diseases. It is a common observation which came to notice that many people neglect their oral hygiene because of the insufficient knowledge about oral hygiene maintenance. So, being a dental professional it is our prime duty to make aware the people about their oral hygiene and spread the oral health education and awareness about is maintenance among the society. So the present study was designed among the general public of Nagpur city. Aim & Objective To assess the awareness and practices about oral hygiene among general public of Nagpur city accordng to their age, gender and educational status. Material and Methods A cross sectional survey was conducted among the general public of Nagpur city. A pre-validated eleven item questionnaire was distributed among the general public for a period of one month. Results Out of a study population of 400, 202 (50.5%) of them brush their teeth for 1 to 3 minutes, while 205 (51.25%) follow vertical and horizontal types of brushing. About 184 (46%) were unaware of secondary methods of oral hygiene maintenance and, 320 (80%) of them are unaware about connection between oral and systemic health. Conclusion The overall awareness and practices about oral hygiene among the present study population was satisfactory. However, there is a need to increase the awareness about periodic dental visit and relationship between systemic health and oral cavity. Key Words Awareness, practices, General public, Nagpur city, Oral hygiene