Prevalence of myths regarding oral and periodontal health among adult population in Bangalore – A cross-sectional survey

Background: Through the ages oral health professionals have faced many myths relating to oral health and hygiene which could not withstand the scrutiny of evidence based literature. However, even with the advancement of science, these myths have remained widely prevalent. The often neglected oral health diseases lead to early morbidity thereby affecting the individual’s quality of life and general well-being. Aim: To determine the prevalence of myths regarding oral hygiene, dental caries, oral cancer, and periodontal health among adult population in Bangalore, India. Settings and Methods: Cross-sectional multi-centre survey was conducted in Bangalore. A structured closed-ended questionnaire (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.81) was administered to 300 participants by guided interview. Demographic data such as age, sex and socio-economic status (SES) was collected. Statistical Analysis: Mean scores and prevalence of myths was calculated for all the domains. Results were analysed using ANOVA and unpaired ‘t’ test. Results: The differences in total mean score and mean sub-scores was not significant with respect to age and sex. However when evaluated for SES the same was statistically significant with “Lower” class showing the least scores. The prevalence of myths was highest for the domain periodontal health (58.5%) and lowest for oral cancer domain (34.1%). Conclusion: High prevalence of myths reported in this study concurred with many others reported in literature, even those conducted in rural areas. Low SES was found to be a significant factor in most studies. Quality oral health education is the key to combat this scenario.