Prevalence and Pattern of Tobacco-Related Habits Among Dental Students: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Survey

Tobacco consumption is one of the leading causes of preventable death globally, responsible for over 8 million deaths annually according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Tobacco Epidemic Report 2023. Dental professionals are instrumental in eliminating this problem. However, their own tobacco habit may prevent them from offering their patients counselling and guidance on quitting. In order to assess the prevalence and pattern of tobacco-related habits among dental students, a survey was conducted.

A cross-sectional survey was undertaken among 370 undergraduate students enrolled in a dental college in Southern India. Data collection was carried out using a structured, close-ended questionnaire designed to assess tobacco usage patterns, types of tobacco products consumed, as well as participants' knowledge, attitudes and behaviours pertaining to tobacco cessation. The collected data were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) Version 23.0, with a p-value of less than 0.05 considered indicative of statistical significance.

Out of 370 students, 8.6% were current smokers, 23.2% were past smokers and 68.2% had never smoked. A total of 1.1% were current tobacco chewers and 2.7% were past tobacco chewers. Majority are cigarette smokers. A significantly high number (79.9%) of past users smoked for less than 2 years as compared to 59.4% of current users who smoke for more than 2 years. A total of 53.2% of current users never tried to quit, and 25% don't want to quit the habit.

Dental professionals who smoke cigarettes themselves may experience diminished professional credibility as promoters of healthy behaviour, which could, in turn, compromise the persuasiveness and efficacy of their tobacco cessation counselling interventions. It may have detrimental effects on society if they themselves are involved in tobacco consumption practices. Enforcement of policies should be followed strictly at all levels to prevent tobacco usage among students. Quitting tobacco is a cornerstone of public health efforts and is strongly linked to global goals of sustainable good health and well-being (Sustainable Development Goal 3 [SDG3]), because it leads to immediate and long-term health improvements, reducing the burden of disease over a person's lifetime.