Oral Impact on Daily Performance among School Teachers in Kanpur, India: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Teachers are considered as a dynamic force of the school. Their educational experience and contact with students can actively contribute to student’s health promotion provided their physical, psychological and social aspects are not affected. Aim: To assess the prevalence of oral impacts on routine performances and to evaluate the relationship between OIDP (Oral Impact on Daily Performance) and clinical parameters among school teachers of Kanpur city, India. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 414 school teachers of Kanpur, India. Data were collected using OIDP questionnaire and clinical examination included the assessment of Dentition Status and Treatment Needs along with Community Periodontal Index as per the guidelines of World Health Organization. Chi-square, Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U and regression analysis were used for statistical evaluation. Results: The prevalence of oral impact reported was 38.6%. Items most commonly affected were eating and chewing food (16.2%) followed with cleaning teeth (9.2%). Dental caries prevalence was higher among males (mean DMFT = 2.98±2.66) which was statistically significant (p<0.05). Bivariate analysis showed a significance (p<0.05) amongst the participants who reported having at least one impact and presence of dental caries (85%), presence of periodontal pockets (51.2%) and loss of attachment (47.5%). Conclusion: The prevalence of OIDP in this study was low and affected the participant’s daily life chiefly through difficulty in eating and the most prevalent reported causes were tooth loss and toothache.

Keywords

• community periodontal index
• dentition status and treatment needs
• oral health
• quality of life