title: Oral hygiene practices and habits among dental professionals in Chennai.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was carried out to assess the oral hygiene practices and habits among practicing general dentists.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out in four dental schools with the help of a self administered questionnaire. The questionnaire covered dentists' oral self care, smoking habits, professional reading and oral health concepts. A total of 700 dentists responded, of which 457 were males. Recommended oral self care (ROSC) included tooth brushing one per day, eating sugary snacks daily or rarely and regularly using fluoride tooth paste.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data obtained was then subjected to statistical analyses and evaluated using chi-square tests and logistic regressions.It was found that 55.9% of all respondents brushed twice a day, 59.4% consumed sugar containing snacks less than once daily and 55.1% of them used fluoride containing paste regularly while brushing. 81.1% of the 700 dentists never used tobacco products. In all, 19.6% of the practicing general dentists followed recommended oral self care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From the present study, it can be concluded that only 19.6% of south Indian dentists follow recommended oral self care and hence awareness programs and continuous dental education programs among dentists is essential to improve the present scenario and to increase the number of dental professionals following ROSC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Poonamalee High Road, Velapanchavadi, Chennai-600 077, India.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gopinath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D004498:Education, Dental, Continuing; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000379:methods*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D014100:Toothpastes; D005459:Fluorides