Oral hygiene practice and oral health status among tribal children of Odisha, India

Abstract

Objectives: The study aimed to assess the oral hygiene levels among tribal children belonging to a specific tribe in the state of Odisha, India and to correlate their teeth cleaning aids used for maintaining oral hygiene and the levels of oral hygiene. Method: Oral hygiene status of a total of 1000 children between 8-13 years of age (boys 467, girls 533) were included in the study. A simplified oral hygiene index (OHI) developed by Greene and Vermillion consisting of two major components Debris index-simplified and calculus index-simplified was used for examining the OHI-S. Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified; the scores are as follows: Good: 0.0-1.2; Fair: 1.3-3.0; Poor: 3.1-6.0. Results: The simplified debris index is good for 42.2% of children using toothpaste and toothbrush, 12% of children using indigenous powder with fingers, 3.4% of children using a twig and none of the children using gudakhu. The simplified calculus index is good for 66.1% of children using toothpaste and toothbrush, 12% of children using indigenous powder with fingers, 5.8% of children using a twig. The simplified oral hygiene index is good for 68.5% of children using toothpaste and toothbrush, 12% of children using indigenous powder with fingers, 4.5% of children using a twig and 38.9% of the children have good oral hygiene index who are using gudakhu. Conclusions: Data showed that the oral hygiene index scores are mostly poor in the children using the indigenous method of oral hygiene practice. This data could be used as baseline information for health authorities and dental professionals for planning strategies for oral health programs in this tribal population as using addiction-prone tobacco pastes can lead to irreparable damage later in life.