Exploring The Dental Health Beliefs And Practices Of College Students In Relation To Scaling And Routine Dental Check-Ups And Its Association With Sociodemographic Factors In District Mansehra Kpk

Original Article

Abstract

Background: Maintaining good oral hygiene practice and receiving routine dental check -up are crucial for preventing dental diseases. Dental scaling is a common dental procedure that involves removing the calculus and other debris from
the teeth.
Objective: This study aimed to explore the dental health beliefs and practices of college students in District Mansehra
regarding scaling and routine dental checkups and identify the sociodemographic factors that influence dental health behaviors.
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 200 college students including females and males in
District Mansehra, and data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics is used to analyze the data through SPSS 20.0 .
Result: Only 37% of college students adhere to regular dental checkups every six months, and a mere 16.5% express a positive attitude towards dental scaling. Notably, there are no statistically significant differences in dental check-up rates between genders (P = 0.210), housing arrangements (own vs. rented, P = 0.494), or education levels (P = 0.598). Similarly, there is no significant variance in attitudes towards scaling based on gender (P = 0.116), urban/rural residence (P = 0.459), housing status (P = 0.531), or education level (P = 0.295). Overall, the study underscores the unsatisfactory dental care habits among college students and suggests a widespread negative perception of routine dental check-ups and scaling.

Conclusion: The findings of the study provide valuable insights into the oral health needs of this population and
inform the development of culturally appropriate oral health promotion programs.
Keywords: Dental Health beliefs and Practice, Routine Dental Check-up, Sociodemographic factors.