Oral hygiene practices among paramedical staff of a private dental institution in India

Resumo

Health promotion in dentistry is targeted at the two
most common oral diseases – dental caries and periodontal disease.
The maintenance of good oral hygiene is considered to be a central
issue in oral health promotion. Objective: To assess the oral hygiene
practices among paramedical staff of a private dental institution in
India. Material and methods: A cross sectional questionnaire survey
was undertaken among 100 paramedical staff of a private dental
institution in Mangalore, India. Data was collected by using self
designed questionnaire. Results: About 49% of the subjects brushed
thrice with soft toothbrush and 55% changed their tooth brush once
in 3 months. About 77% of them cleaned their tongue either by tongue
cleaner, toothbrush or finger and 82% of the subjects used tooth paste.
About 56% of the subjects had never used dental floss. Majority of the
subjects (56%) visited the dentist only when required. Conclusion: Oral
hygiene practices among the paramedical staff were poor.