Oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices among secondary school teachers and students in Ekiti State

Abstract

Background: The important role of teachers in oral health education of their students cannot be ignored. Regrettably, many teachers especially in secondary schools in Nigeria lacked the knowledge and skills to play this part. This study was carried out to assess the oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices among secondary school teachers and students in Ekiti state. Materials and Methods: A self-structured questionnaire was used to collect the necessary information. Results: A total of 100 teachers and 180 students participated in the study. The participants displayed a pattern of incomplete oral health knowledge, inappropriate oral health practices but positive oral health attitude. Females demonstrated better oral health-care practices than their male counterparts. Furthermore, the oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices of the teachers were average while that of the students are less than satisfactory. Conclusion: Therefore, health educational programs to encourage healthy dental habits among teachers and students should be introduced into the school curriculum.