An epidemiological study to assess the knowledge of dentists, general medical practitioners, and non-medical graduates on oral hygiene aids and the availability of such products in Pune City

Abstract

Background: Oral hygiene is a highly individualized concept, the perception of which is very much affected by an individual's knowledge. Oral hygiene is the single most significant factor when it comes to the prevention of periodontal diseases. This greatly depends on the proper selection and use of home care oral hygiene aids. The concept, importance, and practice of different home care aids in oral hygiene maintenance is expected to be easily understood by all literate members of a population, irrespective of their profession being medical or non-medical. If non-dental health care providers were to play a role in oral health promotion, it is necessary that they demonstrate good knowledge in basic dentistry and practice good oral care behavior. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge of dentists, general medical practitioners, and non-medical graduates on home care oral hygiene aids and the sources of their knowledge. The study also aims to assess the availability of the different oral hygiene products in the pharmacy stores. Materials and Methods: For the first part, the study population consisted of three groups in Pune city, which are as follows: Group I: 200 registered dentists Group II: 200 registered medical graduates Group III: 200 non-medical graduates For the second part, the study population consisted of randomly selected 200 registered pharmacy stores in Pune city. The questionnaire was chosen as an appropriate methodology as it can be used to obtain standardized information. Results and Conclusions: The dentists had the maximum knowledge of oral hygiene and oral hygiene aids. They not only practiced the oral hygiene methods but also encouraged others to do so. Oral hygiene aids are much in demand among the population, but aids that are deleterious to the oral health are also available over the counter.