Assessment Of Oral Hygiene And Life Style Pattern Among Transgender Population In Tamilnadu

Abstract

Dental illnesses are found all around the world. Always good oral hygiene practices can minimize the negative effects of periodontal diseases. Assessing oral hygiene behaviour willhelp in improving their oral health status and also in planning oral health strategies specific to transgender population. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of oral hygiene practices and life style among transgender population residing in Tamilnadu. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among the transgenders residing in Tamilnadu. A structured questionnaire was used to get the data regarding oral hygiene practices and lifestyle patterns. Data related to oral hygiene and lifestyle were collected after getting the informed consent from each subject. A total of 250 transgenders were enrolled in this study, of which 81% are using tobacco and majority of them were non-vegetarian. 89% of them were using tooth brush for cleaning teeth and 75% of them had dental problems. Majority (85%) of them had visited dental clinic for their dental problem. Both government and private hospitals are used in equal proportion for their dental treatment. The major reason to visit the dentist was to fill their teeth . . While assessing the life style, most of them were using face cream (71%) to improve their appearance followed by lipstick, eyeliner and nail polish. Most of them were thinking that smile is most important for them than talk due to their voice chance. For abetter smile, they were using lipstick and frequent cleaning of their teeth (74%).Oral health status helps to influence the quality of Life style among the transgender population. They should be educated and motivated to overcome the barriers and seek professional dental help. This necessitates a tailored intervention to satisfy the needs of this population in future.