Oral health status of adults aged 18 years and above residing in Ghaziabad district – A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Dental caries and periodontal disease are the most common oral diseases. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the oral health status of adults aged 18 years and above visiting the various outreach camps in the Ghaziabad District. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 336 participants of Ghaziabad District. Dental caries in form of DMFT and periodontal status was recorded based World Health Organization (WHO) criteria-2013. The Statistical analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. In total, 336 respondents completed the survey among which 216 (64.3%) were males and 120 (35.7%) were females. Majority of the study subjects belonged to low socioeconomic background. The prevalence of dental caries was found to be 44.34 % and periodontal disease was 81.8% respectively. Individuals belonging to lower socioeconomic status has significantly higher caries prevalence when compared to upper and middle class individuals. (p ≤ 0.05) Mounting evidence has demonstrated the essential role of oral health in a long and healthy life. The oral health status of the participants indicates low awareness in majority of the population of Ghaziabad District and only a small number of participants made routine dental visits. The findings can aid planning strategies for oral health care among the population.