Evaluation of Adults' Knowledge on Dental Caries and Oral Habits and Perception on the Oral-Systemic Relationship

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Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the patients' awareness of the relationship between oral and systemic health based on their oral hygiene habits and knowledge.Materials and Methods: A 21-item questionnaire was administered to 500 patients who had been referred to the İstanbul University Department of Restorative Dentistry.The questionnaire consisted of specific questions to evaluate the sociodemographic data and frequency of oral habits and to examine existing systemic diseases.The questionnaires were administered through interviews by the same dentist, and collected data were statistically evaluated using chi-square tests.Results: Of the 500 patients (aged 18-78 years), deficiencies in tooth brushing (70.6%) and diet (50.2%) were related to dental caries.The effects of inadequate tooth brushing on caries development were not significantly different when analyzed by patients' gender and age groups (p>0.05),whereas significant results were observed in the educational status (p<0.05).Moreover, 19% of the patients indicated that oral symptoms did not play a crucial role in the early diagnosis of systemic health problems, 41% stated that it was important, and 40% had no idea.Patients' awareness of the relationship between oral and systemic health is significantly altered by their educational status (p<0.001).Conclusion: Knowledge on the relationship between oral and systemic health is inadequate.Thus, patients should be educated on the importance of oral health awareness, as it is an inseparable part of general health.Referrals from health professionals to dentists may improve patients' access to dental care.Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, bireylerin ağız hijyeni alışkanlıklarına ve diş çürüğü gelişimine ilişkin bilgi düzeylerinin ölçülmesi ve genel sağlık-ağız ve diş sağlığı ilişkisi hakkındaki farkındalıklarının incelenmesidir.Gereç ve Yöntemler: İstanbul Üniversitesi Restoratif Diş Tedavisi Anabilim Dalı'na başvuran 500 hasta, 21 sorudan oluşan anketi cevaplamıştır.Tüm anketler bir diş hekimi tarafından röportaj şeklinde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Anket, katılımcıların sosyodemografik değerlerini belirlemek, oral alışkanlıklarının sıklığını değerlendirmek Bireylerin Diş Çürüğü Gelişimi ve Oral Hijyen Alışkanlıkları Hakkındaki Bilgi Düzeyleri ile Genel Sağlık-Ağız ve Diş Sağlığı İlişkisinde Farkındalık Düzeylerinin Değerlendirilmesi Evaluation of Adults' Knowledge on Dental Caries and Oral Habits and Perception on the Oral-Systemic Relationship