Poor Oral Health Behavior Research Articles

Evaluation of Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index in the 12 Years Old Students of Tehran City, Iran

Aim: The main aim of this study was to Evaluate of Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) Index in 12 Year Old Students of Tehran City, and to identify related factors that affect dental caries within this group. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among students of 12 years old in Tehran, Iran. Dental caries status was assessed in terms of decayed teeth (DT), filled teeth (FT) and decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT). “Data were analysed using SPSS version 22; a multivariate regression analysis was used to determine statistically significant associations between DMFT and other variables (p < 0.05). Results: A total of 416 respondents participated in the study. The mean age of the students was10.94 (SD=0.628) years, and the mean DMFT was 1.03 (SD=1.41). So that, in this study DT (0.53 ± 0.95) had the highest and MT (0.14 ± 0.47) had the lowest mean. A multivariate regression analysis model results showed a significant relation between high DMFT scores and such variables as increasing age, lower levels of mother's education, higher family income, lower frequency of tooth brushing and dental flossing, having a history of no visits to the dentist (P<0.05). Conclusion: The current study shows that Iranian female students have a poor oral health behavior, as very few subjects use dental floss on a regular basis. Although there appeared to be a significant relationship between caries scores and demographic factors such as age and socio-behavioral variables include family income, the level of mothers' education, the frequency of dental brushing and flossing, and both the frequency and type of visit to a dentist.

Poor Oral Health Predicts Higher 10-Year Cardiovascular Risk: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Although the association between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been reported, whether periodontitis and poor oral health behavior influence CVD risk remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine whether periodontal disease and poor oral health behavior predict 10-year general CVD risk using the Framingham Risk Score. Patients older than 30 years with no CVD history (n = 8370) were selected using cross-sectional study data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2013 and 2014. To reduce selection bias in this population-based study, propensity score matching analysis was used with SPSS and R programs to compare CVD risk. Overall, 39.2% of the study population (n = 3277) had a global CVD risk of 10% or greater. In the low- and at-risk groups, 20.7% and 45.3% of patients, respectively, were diagnosed with periodontal disease by a dentist. Moreover, 43.2% and 62.8% of the low- and at-risk group patients, respectively, brushed teeth less than 3 times a day. After 1:1 propensity score matching of the low-risk (n = 1135) and at-risk (n = 1135) groups, bivariate analyses showed that a diagnosis of periodontal disease and less frequent toothbrushing were associated with a higher CVD risk (P < .001). Logistic regression analysis also showed that patients having periodontal disease and who brushed teeth less frequently were 1.38 and 1.33 times, respectively, more likely to be at risk of CVD (P < .001). Education on periodontitis management and oral hygiene behavior should be included, when strategies for public risk reduction of CVD are developed.

Attitude and Behavior to Oral Health of 456 Patients Who Presented for Tooth Extraction at 2 Health Facilities in Southwestern Nigeria.

Introduction:Tooth loss can indicate the population’s oral health situation; majority of patients presenting for tooth extraction have poor oral health behavior and dental service utilization. Understanding the factors responsible for the poor attitude may help in designing targeted intervention to improve their oral health behavior. This study aims to find out the effects of dental health attitude and behavior on tooth mortality in a cohort of adults attending the oral surgery clinic for tooth extraction in 2 health facilities in southwestern Nigeria.Patients and Method:Cross-sectional study of consecutive adult patients who presented at the oral surgery clinic for tooth extraction. Clinical and demographic data, oral health habits, and pattern of previous dental clinic attendance were collected. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 19.0. Variables were subjected to univariate and multivariate logistic regression to evaluate factors influencing dental habit and dental service utilization.Results:The study comprised a total of 453 respondents, consisting of 239 nonattenders, 196 in-trouble attenders, and 18 regular attenders, with majority (59.4%) of them being low earners or not gainfully employed. Majority (64.8%) of the in-trouble attenders had attained tertiary education. Attendance pattern had no influence on the number of extractions needed.Conclusion:Despite high educational attainment and availability of dental services, most patients presenting for extraction have poor oral health habit and are problem-oriented attenders. Socioeconomic disparities and poor dental habits appear to be part of the major factors responsible for poor dental behavior among the study subjects.

Clinical implications of age and sex in the prevalence of periodontitis in Korean adults with diabetes.

The present study was performed to assess the risk factors for periodontitis in Korean adults with diabetes. Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of the Korean population, conducted between January 2012 and December 2014 were used in the investigation. The presence of periodontitis in participants with diabetes in association with demographic variables and the anthropometric characteristics of the participants was investigated. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to assess the associations between periodontitis and age, sex, diabetic control and duration of diabetes, following adjustment for confounding factors. The odds ratio of periodontitis was higher in individuals ≥65 years old compared with individuals <65 years old (1.152). The odds ratio of periodontitis was significantly higher in males compared with females (1.774). The number of patients with moderate and severe periodontitis differed significantly between different age groups. The present study revealed that age, sex and oral health behavior are risk indicators for periodontitis in patients with diabetes. The present study suggests that that an increased age, being male and engaging in poor oral health behavior increases the risk of periodontitis in participants with diabetes.

A study on oral health-related quality of life in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis

Objective To investigate oral health-related quality of Life (OHRQoL) in end-stage renal disease Patients undergoing hemodialysis(HD) and its influencing factors. Methods Through convenient sampling, totally 185 HD patients in two first-class tertiary hospitals in Changchun were investigated with the Oral Health Impact Profile-14(OHIP-14). Influencing factors of oral health-related quality of life of patients were extracted from patients’general information and oral health behavior questionnaire. Single factor analysis and multivariate linear stepwise regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results The scores of oral health-related quality of life in hemodialysis patients were Significantly higher than those of the normal population in China (P<0.05) and age, duration of hemodialysis, status of smoking, frequency of brushing, brush teeth time, status of using mouth wash, and frequency of oral examination were influencing factors for oral health-related quality of life of HD patients, (β=-0.156-0.164, all P<0.05) . Conclusions Oral health-related quality of life in HD patients is poor. Medical workers should pay attention to older patients with longer duration of hemodialysis and poor oral health behavior, take effective interventions to improve oral health-related quality of life of HD patients. Key words: Renal dialysis; Oral health-related quality of life; Influencing factor

Prevalence of and factors associated with dental anxiety among medical and dental students of the Northern State Medical University, Arkhangelsk, North-West Russia

ABSTRACTThe objective was to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with dental anxiety (DA) in medical and dental students in North-West Russia. This cross-sectional study included 422 medical and 285 dental undergraduate Russian students aged 18–25 years from the Northern State Medical University in Arkhangelsk. Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) was applied to measure DA. Information on socio-demographic and socioeconomic factors, oral health behaviour and general and oral health was obtained from a structured, self-administered questionnaire. A clinical examination was performed to assess caries experience, Simplified Oral Hygiene Index, and Gingival Index. DAS score ≥13 was found in 13.7% and 2.2% of medical and dental students, respectively. Female sex (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.11, p = 0.013), lower education of mother (IRR = 1.13, p = 0.001), and poor self-assessed oral health (IRR = 1.15, p < 0.001) were associated with DA in medical students. Corresponding factors in dental students were female sex (IRR = 1.16, p = 0.001), irregular dental visits (IRR = 1.19, p = 0.001), infrequent tooth-brushing (IRR = 1.17, p = 0.007), pain in mouth (IRR = 1.09, p = 0.031) and number of missing teeth (IRR = 1.13, p = 0.007). The prevalence of high DA was lower in dental students than in medical students. DA was associated with sex, mother’s education, poor oral health behaviour and self-assessed and clinically assessed oral health.

Oral health beliefs and behavior among young adults in Appalachian Kentucky

ABSTRACTWe used communication infrastructure theory to investigate oral health beliefs and behavior among young adults in Appalachian Kentucky. We conducted 7 focus groups with 67 participants who reported poor oral health behavior, but this was not necessarily the result of poor oral health knowledge. Participants identified several sociocultural factors affecting their oral health, including lack of oral health prioritization among older generations, and risky health behaviors that competed with good oral health. These sociocultural factors create a context in which standard oral health recommendations are commonly seen as excessive. Participants described various responses to the poor oral health in the region, including fatalism and a distrust of dentists, and that oral healthcare professionals may be using potentially problematic communication tactics. Practical implications for designing effective oral health promotion campaigns in the region and theoretical implications for developing social-contextual frameworks of oral health promotion are discussed.

The association of medications with sedative properties with oral health behaviour in community-dwelling older people.

The objective of this study was to determine whether drugs with sedative properties are related to oral health behaviour-such as frequency of toothbrushing, using toothpaste and dental visits-and oral hygiene, measured by the number of teeth with dental plaque, among community-dwelling older people. The study population consisted of 159 community-dwelling, dentate, non-smoking, older people from the Oral Health GeMS study (Geriatric Multidisciplinary Strategy for the Good Care of Older People study). The data were collected by interviews and clinical examinations during 2004-2005. Sedative properties of drugs were assessed using the sedative load (SL) model. Logistic and Poisson regression models were used to estimate odds ratios/relative risks (OR/RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). After adjusting for confounding factors, SL associated with infrequent toothbrushing (OR 1.72, CI: 0.61-4.89), toothpaste use less than twice a day (OR 3.34, CI: 1.39-8.12), non-regular dental visits (OR 2.28 CI: 0.91-5.30) and the number of teeth with dental plaque (RR 1.20 CI: 1.04-1.39) compared to participants without a SL. The results of this study suggest that use of drugs with sedative properties indicates poor oral health behaviour among older people.

Dental health status and oral health behavior among university students from five ASEAN countries.

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to investigate dental health status and oral health behavior and associated factors among university students in five ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam). Using anonymous questionnaires, data were collected from 3,344 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.5, SD=1.6; 58.3% female) from five ASEAN countries. Results indicate that 27.7% of students reported to have sometimes, most of the time or always having tooth ache in the past 12 months, 39.4% reported to have one or more cavities, 20.3% did not brush their teeth twice or more times a day, and 30.9% had never been to a dentist (or did not know it). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age, living in a lower middle income country, consumption of chocolate or candy, having made a dental care visit, and poor mental health was associated with tooth ache in the past 12 months. Being male, being 20 to 21 years old, coming from a wealthier family background, living in a lower middle income country, frequent consumption of soft drinks, not having consulted with a dentist in the past 12 months and weak beliefs in the benefits of tooth brushing were associated with inadequate tooth brushing frequency (<twice a day). Further, being male, being 20 to 21 years old, inadequate tooth brushing frequency, infrequent consumption of chocolate or candy, frequent consumption of soft drinks and low physical activity was associated with inadequate or never dental care visit. Poor dental health status and oral health behaviors were found and various risk factors identified that can be utilized to guide interventions to improve oral health programs among university students.

The role of parental rearing practices and family demographics on oral health-related quality of life in children.

To evaluate the direct and indirect (via oral health-related behaviour) effects of parental rearing practices on children's Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) within a family-focused, comprehensive predictive model. Participants were 11- to 14-year-old children and their parents living in Telangana State, India (N = 1130). Children were clinically assessed for dental caries, gingivitis, oral hygiene status, fluorosis, and malocclusion, and completed a self-administered questionnaire on oral health-related behaviour and OHRQoL. Parents answered questions related to their socioeconomic status (SES), family circumstances, parent's perceptions of child's OHRQoL, and child rearing practices. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the pathways through which parenting practices were associated with children's OHRQoL. Parents with higher positive (β = -0.106) and lower power assertion rearing practices (β = 0.103) had children with better OHRQoL. Parental rearing practices did not have any effect on children's oral hygiene behaviour. Children who had malocclusion (β = 0.076) and fluorosis (β = 0.38) had lower OHRQoL. Family SES had a significant effect on children's oral hygiene behaviour and oral hygiene status with children of higher SES demonstrating better oral hygiene behaviour and status. Children living in single-parent families reported poorer oral hygiene behaviour (β = -0.048) than those living in other types of families. Parental rearing practices had direct effects on OHRQoL. However, the hypothesised indirect effects of these practices on OHRQoL via poor oral health behaviour were not supported.

Oral Health Knowledge and Attitude as Determinants of Oral Health Behavior in a Sample of Old People in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Adequate oral health knowledge, attitude and behavior are very important for the improvement of patient’s oral health. The objective of the study was to assess the oral health knowledge, attitude and behavior of elderly people in Port Harcourt and determine the relationship between these variables. The research was descriptive survey and correlational in design. A total of 543 old people were selected by systematic random sampling. Data was collected with a self-developed Oral Health Assessment Questionnaire (OHAQ) designed in four sections (A-D) and analysed using SPSS version 20 (IBM SPSS Armonk, New York). Relationship between variables was established by simple regression and significance determined at 0.05 alpha level. Majority (63%) and (66%) of the pensioners in Port Harcourt Rivers State had poor knowledge of oral health and negative attitude toward oral health respectively. About 60% of the participants had poor oral health behavior. Oral health knowledge and attitude accounted for 43.56% (R2 = 0.4356) and 22.09% ((R2 = 0.2209) respectively of the variance in the behavior of the pensioners. There was a significant moderate and positive relationship between oral health knowledge and behavior (R = 0.66) and between oral health attitude and behavior (R = 0.47). The present study showed that oral health knowledge and attitude of the respondents significantly and moderately predicted their oral health behavior. There is therefore the need to educate this group on appropriate oral self-care and regular dental visits as a cornerstone to the promotion of oral health and prevention of oral diseases.

Prevalence and correlates of perceived teeth health status and oral health behavior among school-going adolescents in Cambodia.

ABSTRACTThe purpose of the study was to investigate perceived teeth health status and oral health behavior, as well as their correlates, among adolescents in Cambodia. The analysis included 3806 Cambodian school children (mean age 15.7 years, SD=1.8 years) who took part in the “Global School-based Student Health Survey” (GSHS) in 2013. Overall, 7.8% of the students reported poor perceived teeth status, 18.0% had missed school in the past year because of a toothache, 26.7% engaged in combined oral health behavior (brushing teeth twice daily or more often = 79.8%, using fluoride toothpaste = 59.9%, and drinking soft drinks less than once a day = 53.6%), and 59.9% had never visited a dentist for a routine examination or other dental work. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age, being female, missing school because of a toothache, having a toothache in the past 12 months, poor oral health behavior and sedentary leisure time were associated with poor perceived teeth status. Older age, good perceived teeth status, having had a dental check-up, washing hands before eating and after toilet use, and not eating fast food were associated with a positive oral health behavior (brushing teeth twice daily or more often, using fluoride toothpaste, and drinking soft drinks less than once a day). Significant proportions of poor perceived teeth status and poor oral health behavior were found among school children in Cambodia. Various risk factors (sociodemographic, dental variables, general health risk behaviors) for perceived poor teeth status, oral health behavior and never having had a dental check-up were identified, which can be utilized for intervention programs.

SBIRT-Based Interventions to Improve Pediatric Oral Health Behaviors and Outcomes: Considerations for Future Behavioral SBIRT Interventions in Dentistry.

Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in children and is caused by poor oral health behaviors. These behaviors include high-sugar diet, inadequate exposure to topical fluorides, and irregular use of professional dental care services. A number of behavioral intervention approaches have been used to modify health behaviors. One example is the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model, which has been widely used to reduce substance abuse in both adults and children. SBIRT is a promising behavior change approach that could similarly be used to address problematic oral health behaviors. In this paper, we will review oral health studies that have adopted SBIRT components, assess if these interventions improved oral health behaviors and outcomes, and outline considerations for researchers interested in developing and testing future oral health-related SBIRT interventions in dentistry.

Self-Reported Oral Health Attitudes and Behavior of Dental and Medical students, Yemen.

To assess self-reported oral health attitudes and behavior among undergraduate dental and medical students, and to analyze the variations in oral health attitudes based on gender, level of education, study discipline, academic average, and type of university. A self-administered questionnaire based on the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI) was distributed to 1269 undergraduate dental and medical students at two universities (one public and one private) in Sana'a, Yemen. Overall, the mean questionnaire score for the total sample was markedly low (4.91±1.58), with no significant difference between dental and medical students (P>0.05). Females had better oral health attitudes and behavior, especially towards visiting the dentist, tooth-brushing habits and oral hygiene practices (P<0.05). Students attending the public university had better oral health attitudes and behaviors than those attending the private university (P=0.049). On the other hand, no significant associations were observed between students' oral health attitudes/behavior and level of education and academic performance (P>0.05). Yemeni dental and medical students have shown markedly poor oral health attitude and behavior. Further studies are required to reveal possible shortcoming in these schools' education process. Dental and medical curricula should emphasize the importance of proper oral hygiene, and further participation of medical and dental students in oral hygiene seminars is highly encouraged.

Oral Health and Dental Treatment Knowledge , Attitudes and Behavior among Syrian School Children = معرفة أطفال المدارس السوريين و موقفهم و سلوكهم تجاه الصحة الفموية و المعالجة السنية

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and behavior of Syrian schoolchildren towards oral health and dental treatment. Methods: Students of this study aged between 11-15 years old attending public schools completed a questionnaire that aimed to evaluate young schoolchildren’s behavior, knowledge, and perception of their oral health. Results: 300 students participated in this study. Results of this study indicated that desire to improve oral health found to be high among children (80%). Dental Anxiety scores were also high (83%).Toothache was the major driving factor for dental visits (81.8%) and regular dental visits weren't necessary for most participants (87.5%). About (73.2%) of the children in this study have not recognized the importance of oral health to the well-being of the rest of the body. (53.8%) of them think that it's possible to treat a cavity at its early stage by brushing, while (28.4%) think that cavities are impossible to avoid. Conclusions: The findings of this study had indicated that the participants had poor oral health behavior, insufficient knowledge, but positive attitudes regarding oral health and dental treatments.

Assessment of preventive dental care among dental students and dental professionals in India: A knowledge, attitude, and practice study

Aim: Knowledge and oral health behavior of dental students and professionals play an important role in oral health education of patients and community at large. It is therefore important that their own oral health behavior conforms to expectations of the population. Hence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) among dental students and dental professionals. Materials and Methods: In the present study, KAPs of 560 dental students and professionals (postgraduate [PG] students and dental faculty) was explored. The participants were divided into three groups based on their level of education. Group 1 included undergraduate students and interns, Group 2 included PG students, and Group 3 included teaching faculty. Group 1 was further divided into UG1 (BDS 1 st year), UG2 (BDS 2 nd year), UG3 (BDS 3 rd year), UG4 (BDS 4 th year), and UG5 (Interns). A number of participants in each group were 80. Statistical Analysis: Kruskal-Wallis test was used for intergroup comparison and Mann-Whitney test was used for intragroup comparison. Result: Results showed that as the education level increased from junior students to senior students to teaching faculty, the mean score of positive responses increased in all the components (KAP), and the values are statistically significant (P Conclusion: The finding of the present study indicated the poor oral health behaviors (KAP) among dental students and dental professionals, which should be improved in order to serve as a positive model for their patients, family, and friends.

Association between the longest job and oral health: Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study project cross-sectional study.

BackgroundInequality in oral health is a major challenge. Oral diseases and their risk factors accumulate throughout life. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association of longest job with oral health status and oral health behavior among older Japanese.MethodsSubjects were a total of 23,191 (11,310 males and 11,881 females) community-dwelling individuals aged 65 or over, living independently and able to perform daily activities from 30 municipalities across Japan. The outcome variables were oral health status (number of teeth, use of denture or bridge and subjective oral health status) and oral health behavior (dental visit for treatment and use of interdental brush or dental floss). The longest job was used as an explanatory variable. Age, educational attainment, equivalent income, and densities of dentists and population in municipalities were used as covariates. Two-level (first level: individual, second level: municipality) multilevel Poisson regression analyses were performed for each sex.ResultsMultilevel Poisson regression analyses showed that all variables of oral health status and oral health behavior were significantly associated with longest job after adjusting for all covariates except denture/bridge use and dental visit for females. People whose longest jobs were sales/service, skilled/labor, agriculture/forestry/fishery or others, or who had no occupation were more likely to have poor oral health status and oral health behavior compared to those whose longest jobs were professional/technical.ConclusionsThe longest job may be one of the major determinants of oral health status and oral health behavior in Japanese older people.

The Association between Periodontal Disease and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Case Control Study

Introduction: Although there are studies evaluating the effects of periodontal health on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the effects of COPD – a systemic disease, on periodontal tissue is unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of COPD on periodontal tissues by comparing COPD patients and controls. Methods: Fifty-two COPD patients and 38 non-COPD controls were included in this case-control study. Number of teeth, plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing, clinical attachment level and probing depth were included in the periodontal examination. In addition to clinical evaluations, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-1 beta (IL-lb) and prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2), and serum hs-CRP levels were measured in COPD patients and the controls. Results: The number of teeth was significantly lower while PI and GI were significantly higher in COPD patients when compared to the controls. As well as serum hs-CRP levels, the GCF levels of hs-CRP, IL-1b and PGE2 were significantly higher in COPD patients than the controls. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that COPD may be associated with periodontal disease as manifested by lower number of teeth and higher levels of inflammatory mediators especially CRP in GCF. This finding may be a reflection of systemic effects of COPD on periodontal tissues. Poor oral health behavior of COPD patients have to be considered in larger size group studies in the future.

Relationships between self-rated oral health, subjective symptoms, oral health behavior and clinical conditions in Japanese university students: a cross-sectional survey at Okayama University

BackgroundSelf-rated oral health is a valid and useful summary indicator of overall oral health status and quality of life. However, few studies on perception of oral health have been conducted among Japanese young adults. This study investigated whether oral health behavior, subjective oral symptoms, or clinical oral status were associated with self-rated oral health in Japanese young adults.MethodsThis cross-sectional survey included 2,087 students (1,183 males, 904 females), aged 18 and 19 years, at Okayama University, Japan. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed and an oral examination was performed.ResultsIn a structural equation modeling analysis, the score of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) significantly affected self-rated oral health (p <0.05) and the effect size was highest. Malocclusion, subjective symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and stomatitis, and poor oral health behavior significantly induced self-rated poor oral health with small effect sizes (p <0.05). Clinical periodontal conditions and Oral Hygiene Index-simplified were not related to self-rated oral health.ConclusionSelf-rated oral health was influenced by subjective symptoms of TMD and stomatitis, oral health behavior, the score of DMFT, and malocclusion. The evaluation of these parameters may be a useful approach in routine dental examination to improve self-rated oral health in university students.

Assessment of Oral Hygiene Habits among the Dental Students of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: A Questionnaire Survey

The aim of conducting this study was to evaluate the oral hygiene attitudes among the budding dentists, and whether progressive dental education and their understanding of preventive dental procedures will improve their commitment toward enhancement of their own oral health attitudes. For this purpose, a cross sectional study was designed for 400 dental students of Bhopal divided into group A (first year and second year) and group B (third year and final year) using a custom formulated objective type of questionnaire to explore their dental health attitudes and behavior based on gender and level of dental education. The complex interplay of factors that shape attitudes and health behaviors, two major influences appear central: culturally determined attitudes/beliefs and behaviors (social norms), and learned experiences. Gender seems to play an important role as data collected show females belonging to both the groups to be having better self-reported health attitudes in majority of investigated areas. The findings of the present study highlighted the relatively poor oral health behavior of Indian dental students, which should be improved in order to serve as a positive model for their patients, family and friends.