Perception and Knowledge of Patients from Different Regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia towards Oral Hygiene and Oral Hygiene Aids

Abstract

Aim: The present study aims to evaluate the perception and awareness of interdental aids in different regions of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted, in order to evaluate the perception and knowledge of patients towards oral hygiene products among the population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In total, 812 out of 1124 participants responded and completed the survey (response rate 72.2%). The data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire in English and Arabic. All statistical analyses were carried out using the SPSS 20 software. p < 0.05 was used to indicate statistical significance. Results: A total of 812 participants responded, of which 486 participants (60%) declared using a toothpaste and toothbrush for cleaning their teeth. The cohort consisted of 274 (34%) females who brushed twice daily, while 96 (33%) males brushed their teeth once a day and 18% of the participants did not even brush once a day. The results indicated that 332 (64%) female participants and 174 (60%) male participants had perception and knowledge of the use of dental floss or any other device to clean between their teeth, while 174 (48.50%) male participants and 174 (49.10%) female participants cleaned their tongue with the same brush, rather than using a tongue scrubber or any other aids. Conclusion: The total awareness of interdental aids in Saudi Arabia is unsatisfactory, as demonstrated by the participants not being conscious or informed about the maintenance of their oral health. A majority of participants did not report adopting basic techniques, such as tongue brushing. This study reveals that no interdental aids were used by 16% of the participants. Thus, it is crucial to develop an effective educational program which emphasizes oral healthcare in this population.

Knowledge Attitude and Practices of Patients Attending a Private Dental Hospital on Miswak

“…In a study by Bashir and Rizvi 10 the response for the survey on oral hygiene practices was 86 males and 107 females. The study by Alshahrani et al 11 the response for the survey on oral hygiene practices was 291 (35.9) male and 519 female (64.1). The distribution of the participants in the study by Alshahrani et al 11 were graduates 561 (69.3) and postgraduate were 60 (7.4) and in our study, there were 227 graduates and 19 postgraduates.…”

“…In the study conducted by Alshahrani et al 11 the participants frequency of cleaning the teeth was once by 274(33.8), twice by 272 (33.6) and whenever required cleaning was done by 90 (11.1). Alhammadi et al 3 reported in his study 28.2%, of the participants cleaned their teeth once 37.6%, twice, 28.4%, whenever required and 5.9% infrequently which is almost the same as our study in which the percentages are 24% once and 35.7% twice.…”

“…In a study by Alshahrani et al 11 , toothbrush and paste was used by 501(61.9%), Miswak by 28 (3.5%) and 17(2.1%) didn't brush their teeth.…”

Knowledge, Awareness and Practice of Usage of Interdental Aids among Dental Professionals

“…suits the problem. However various studies showed that improper indication and use of interdental aids can cause mechanical periodontal tissue damage [12,16,24]. Our team has extensive knowledge and research experience that has translated into high quality publications [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44].…”

“…Some researchers have reported promising results after using dental irrigators; while others have failed to demonstrate any beneficial effects [10]. Dental floss, toothpicks and single-strand brushes are recommended tools for interdental cleaning [11,12].…”