Factors influencing adherence to oral hygiene among adults attending the out patient department at Naguru hospital.

Abstract

On the global perspective, oral hygiene complications have been registered in both developed and developing countries, something that has created a burden of oral cancer, with available statistics indicating between 8% to 13% of people face oral health related problems annually according to the World Health Report (2009). As a result, the study was carried out with the objectives of identifying the socio-demographic factors, knowledge level factors, socio-economic factors influencing adherence to oral hygiene among patients as well as establishing the level of adherence to oral hygiene among patients. Using a cross sectional research design and adopting a quantitative research approach, the study obtained data that was tabulated into meaningful information. Both primary and secondary data was used in this study. The findings revealed that socio demographic factors such as gender, education level and marital status are risk factors in people to adhere to oral hygiene. Among the socio economic factors, lack of employment and inadequate income were shown to influence adherence to oral hygiene among patients. The study also revealed that inadequate knowledge about oral hygiene and its components, being unfamiliar with the components of oral health are risk factors for poor adherence to oral hygiene among patients. The study also revealed that failure to floss teeth daily and visit a dentist for checkup were risk factors for poor adherence to oral hygiene among study participants. In line with this, the study has found a high prevalence rate for poor oral hygiene indicated at 65.6% of the study participants. Based on the study findings, the researcher recommended that government should improve the socio economic attributes of people through “Boona bagawale scheme”, setting up dental services in the rural areas to improve accessibility of dental care among the population especially farmers as well as continuous community sensitization about the dangers of poor adherence to oral hygiene practices.