Oral care practices of adults in Turkey

Abstract

Oral care practices of adults in Turkey Merve Koseoglu1*, Ozge Bal2, Hatice Bilge Turkan2, Beyza Cetin2, Muhammed Nuri Tascioglu2, Nurullah Aydin2, Ozgur Sancar3, Selma Altindis4 1. Department Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey 2. Faculty of Dentistry, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey 3. Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey 4. Department of Health Administration, Faculty of Management, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey *E-mail: mervekoseoglu89@gmail.com.tr Abstract Background: Information on oral health practices can play a key role in improving a community’s oral health status. The aim of this study was to determine oral healthcare practices of Turkish individuals. Methods: A questionnaire was randomly given to 351 individuals, all of them older than 18 years. This cross-sectional study data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods and chi-square test. Statistical significance was evaluated at p < 0.05. Results: According this study, 62.1% of individuals visited the dentist only when they needed to. Furthermore, 58% of individuals brushed their teeth twice a day; 12.5% of them used miswak; 50.4% used dental floss, toothpicks, or mouthwash; and 86.6% stated that they didn’t use any other herbal/traditional tooth cleaning method. Additionally, 39.8% of the individuals reported that they ate sweetened foods 1–2 times a day, and 33.6% of them drank acidic beverages 1–2 times a month. Although the frequency of visiting a dentist and using herbal/traditional practices did not differ among individuals (p ˃ 0.05), frequency of consuming sweetened food did differ (p = 0.032). Conclusions: Toothbrushing and interdental cleaning habits differed among individuals, while frequency of dentist visits and alternative methods of cleaning teeth did not differ. Keywords: adult, dental plaque, oral hygiene, periodontal disease