Self-perception regarding dental aesthetics, knowledge and attitude of traumatic dental injury and halitosis among people of Aurabani, Sunsari district of Eastern Nepal

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Incr eased concer n over dental appearance has been observed during childhood and adolescence to early adulthood. The study was conducted with objectives to assess the selfperception of dental aesthetics, knowledge, attitude and management of dental trauma and halitosis. Materials and Methods: Self-administered questionnaire translated in Nepali language consisting of 32 questions was used. The completed questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Out of the total study population, 63% were satisfied with their overall tooth appearance and 71.7% with their tooth color. Twenty-nine percent had experienced dental trauma. More than half of the study population thought that immediate treatment was required after dental trauma. Fifty seven percent of the villagers had halitosis. Conclusion: The r esear ch clear ly shows that the people of Aur abani VDC were satisfied with their tooth color and overall tooth appearance; however the knowledge regarding emergency management of dental trauma, the cause and management of halitosis was insufficient.

A Comparative Study on Self-rated Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices in a Marginalized Community From Eastern Nepal

“…Bad breath or halitosis was stated as dental problem by 46.64% of this total sample while another study in a similar location found that 57.74% had this problem. 12 In this study, "no brushing cause's dental caries" was reported by significantly more individuals from the privileged group which was reflected on their habit of using toothbrushes. This finding is comparable to a study on school-aged children from China.…”

“…9 Many studies pertaining to oral health status that have been carried out in Nepal mainly target the school-aged children, elderly or pregnant women. [10][11][12][13][14] Poor and marginalized people in Nepal have higher proportion of oral health problems. 15 A large-scale study suggested that only 10% of Nepalese adults brush twice daily and only about 4% reported visiting dentists within the last six months.…”