Publication:

Comparative study of oral hygienic practices and oral health status among people residing in urban and urban slum of Ahmedabad municipal corporation

Background Oral hygiene should be educated and practiced at early age as it is one of the determinants of the health state later in one’s life. Dental problems are very much prevalent not only in urban slum owing to poor oral hygiene but also in well-developed urban area due to pursuing bad food habit.  The present study was undertaken to compare the oral hygienic practices among people in both areas.

Methods A cross sectional study carried out in 300 people (>10 years) residing in urban and urban slum of Vejalpur (150 from each area). A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant for applied statistical tests.

Results The present study showed that only 26.7% and 17.2% people in urban and urban slum respectively had habit of brushing both time morning and at night before going to bed. Only 25.7% and 11.8% of people used correct brushing technique. Regarding oral health status 47.4% of people in urban area and 61.1% in urban slum had dental caries.

Conclusions Oral hygienic practices were poor needs educational motivation regarding duration of brushing, appropriate way to brush the teeth, and use of mouthwash.