Comparison of oral health care practices among the tobacco chewers and nonchewers

Abstract

Background: Tobacco is chewed, smoked, sucked, sniffed and is the one product which is detrimental to the population when it is used entirely as intended. The present study was conducted to compare the oral health care practices among the tobacco chewers and nonchewers. Materials & Methods: 80 subjects of both genders were divided into 2 groups. Group I comprised of tobacco chewer and group II non- chewer. A closed-ended questionnaire namely, the National Youth Tobacco Survey Questionnaire and the WHO Oral Health Questionnaire for Adults was recorded which consisted of demographic information, oral health care practices, and information regarding smokeless tobacco habit. Results: Out of 80 subjects, males were 65 and females were 15. Tooth brush material used was tooth brush in 5 and 32, finger in 15 and 6 and neem stick in 20 and 2. Tooth cleaning material was tooth paste in 12 and 35, tooth powder in 28 and 5, frequency of brushing was once in 11 and 10, twice in 4 and 27 and occasionally in 25 and 3. Frequency of snack consumption was sometimes in 17 and 33 and mostly in 23 and 7.