Assessment of Oral Hygiene Practices and Associated Risk Factors Among Dental Patients in Kabul, Afghanistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Oral health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, with significant implications for physical health and quality of life. Despite the well-documented understanding of oral hygiene practices, there is limited research on oral health behaviors in Afghanistan, a country with unique sociocultural and economic challenges. Objectives: This study aims to assess oral hygiene practices and identify associated risk factors among individuals in Kabul, Afghanistan, to provide insights into oral health behaviors in low-resource settings. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2021 to March 2022, involving 1948 participants from dental hospitals in Kabul. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including logistic regression, were employed to explore associations between variables and oral hygiene status. Results: The study revealed that 59.7% of participants had poor oral hygiene. Key predictors of good oral hygiene included higher education levels, better wealth status, and younger age. Surprisingly, higher snack consumption was associated (AOR: 1.66, CI: 1.24–2.21) with better oral hygiene, contrary to existing literature. Continuous medication use also correlated with better oral hygiene practices with an AOR of 2.14. Conclusions: The findings highlight the complex interplay of demographic, educational, and behavioral factors in determining oral hygiene practices. Targeted interventions including health information provision regarding oral health for patients specifically for poor and uneducated individuals is recommended to enhance oral health outcomes in low-resource settings like Afghanistan.