Do the supportive staff have enough oral health knowledge? - A study at a teaching health care institution in South India

Introduction: Oral hygiene plays an imperative role in preventing oral diseases. The assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice in relation to oral hygiene among the supportive staff members would help the professional, to inculcate in their patients the acceptable oral habits to thwart oral diseases as these staff members are a bridge between healthcare professional and the patient. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted at a teaching health care institution in South India. The staff members who gave their consent after detailing the objective and rationale of the study were included in the study. Data were collected about their oral health knowledge, attitude and oral hygiene practices. Descriptive statistics was calculated. Results: Nearly 79% brushed their teeth only in the morning; 95% used a tooth brush and toothpaste regularly. Dental floss (0.5%) was the least used cleaning aid. About 57% of the participants visited the dentist only when necessary. The majority of the participants had no reason for not visiting the dentist. 72% were aware of the role of sugar in causing dental caries, and 55% were unaware of the role of fluoride in dental caries. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the majority of them brush their teeth only once, and most of them used both tooth brush and tooth paste to brush their teeth. The participants visited dentist only in emergency, and their oral health knowledge is low.