Oral care practices of adults in Turkey

Authors

Merve Koseoglu, Department Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Sakarya University, Sakarya, TurkeyFollow
Ozge Bal, Faculty of Dentistry, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
Hatice Bilge Turkan, Faculty of Dentistry, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
Beyza Cetin, Faculty of Dentistry, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
Muhammed Nuri Tascioglu, Faculty of Dentistry, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
Nurullah Aydin, Faculty of Dentistry, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
Ozgur Sancar, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
Selma Altindis, Department of Health Administration, Faculty of Management, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey

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.

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Recommended Citation

Koseoglu M, Bal O, Turkan HB, Cetin B, Tascioglu M, Aydin N, et al. Oral care practices of adults in Turkey. Makara J Health Res. 2020;24.