Knowledge, Attitude And Practices Towards Oral Hygiene Maintenance Among Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Dental or oral care is very important to keep up healthy teeth, gums, and tongue. Oral issues together with Bad breath, dry mouth, canker or cold sores, Temporomandibular disorder, decay, or thrush are all treatable with correct diagnosis and care.It is documented that oral health and general health are non divisible. Bad breath, medically referred to as halitosis, may result from poor dental health habits and should be an indication of alternative health issues. Xerostomia is over simply feeling thirsty. It affects your overall health. Brushing teeth a minimum of double every day with a fluoride-containing dentifrice and rinse daily with a fluoride-containing gargle can stop tooth Associated disorders. It is reported that there is an increased incidence of complications in the oral cavity associated with diabetes mellitus when the oral hygiene maintenance is not practised properly. The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice towards oral hygiene maintenance among the diabetic patients.

Materials and methods :

The sample size of the study was 100 diabetic patients from saveetha dental college. A set of questionnaires were developed by the use of google form software, and responses collected from the participants. Data recorded were statistically analyzed and results obtained. To test the association between categorical variables the statistical test used is Chi square test (p value <0.05 is considered as statistically significant).

Results : 

From the result, it is shown that 43% of people were aware that diabetes leads to mouth ulcer and 44 % of people were aware that diabetes leads to dental caries. 39% of people were not aware that diabetes leads to delayed wound healing.

Conclusion :

Within the limitations of the study, it can be concluded that diabetic patients were moderately aware about the oral hygiene maintenance and the complications that can arise in the oral cavity due to diabetes mellitus. Among the study population males were more aware about the complications in the oral cavity than females. Most people use a toothbrush to maintain their oral health. It is important for the diabetic patients to maintain the oral hygiene since it can lead to various secondary infections and diabetic related complications in the oral cavity.