Oral hygiene status, knowledge, perceptions and practices among school settings in rural South India

To assess oral hygiene knowledge, perceptions and practices, and assess oral hygiene status among school settings in rural Chennai, India.

A pilot cross sectional study was done during August-September, 2013 in a rural school in Chennai, South India. A convenient sample of 100 secondary (6-8 standards) and higher secondary (9-10 standards) school students was taken. A modified version of previously validated questionnaires was used to gather information on socio-demographic characteristics; oral hygiene knowledge, perceptions and practices; oral health utilization and perception on impacts of oral health on daily life. Oral Hygiene Index- Simplified (OHI-S) was used to assess oral hygiene status.

Average age of participants was 13 years with 50% of participants being females. Nineteen per cent knew that teeth had to be cleaned with toothbrush and toothpaste. Seventeen per cent brushed twice a day. Females had more knowledge, perceptions, and practices than males (p<0.05). Gender (p<0.05), self-reported oral health perceptions (p<0.05), tooth brushing (p<0.001) and flossing (p<0.001) practices, use of fluoridated toothpaste (p=0.006), chewing sugar-based gum (p<0.05) and drinking milk with sugar (p<0.05) were significantly associated with oral hygiene knowledge. A relative majority (45%) of the participants had fair oral hygiene and this was significantly associated with school grade (p=0.001).

Oral hygiene knowledge, status, and eating patterns were inversely associated with the school grade. There is an urgent need to enhance oral health and hygiene practices at an early schooling. A multipronged, multilevel public health intervention integrating oral health into the school curriculum beginning early schooling is needed.