Knowledge of Dental Caries, Oral Hygiene Practices, and Barriers to Accessing Dental Care Among the Patients Attending Endodontic Treatment for Carious Permanent Molar Teeth at Restorative Unit, National Dental Hospital, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: Dental caries is the most common dental health problem caused by bacteria interacting on the tooth surface. It is a public health burden in Sri Lanka, with a prevalence of 91.5% among 35–44-year-olds. Objective: This study aims to assess the knowledge of dental caries, oral hygiene practices, and barriers to accessing dental care among the patients attending endodontic treatment for carious permanent molar teeth at the Restorative Unit, National Dental Hospital (NDH) Sri Lanka. Methods: A Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 patients aged 18 to 60 who attended Restorative Dental Unit A at NDH from March 2019 to March 2020. Data were collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires. SPSSS version 24 was used for data analysis. Results: According to the data, 48.2% of patients were aged between 20 and 35 years and 34.7% had completed their tertiary education. This study found that 58 % of patients had inadequate knowledge about preventing dental caries. Only 30.43% of patients identified that fluoride was useful in protecting teeth. Most patients (68.7%) brushed their teeth twice a day. 24.7% of patients used non-fluoridated toothpaste to clean their teeth and 49.2% reported going for routine dental check-ups at least once a year. Biscuits and sugar mixed with tea and coffee were the main sweet-containing foods used by the patients. The study revealed that 76.6% of patients knew they had tooth decay. Conclusion: A significant percentage of the population did not have good knowledge about dental caries and oral hygiene practices.

Keywords

• knowledge
• oral hygiene practices
• diet
• accessing dental care
• dental caries