title: Dental myths, oral hygiene methods and nicotine habits in an ageing rural population: an Indian study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Though, increased emphasis is being given on spreading dental care facilities and awareness in Indian villages, the target population is unfortunately less literate and is not financially equipped compared to their urban counterparts. The rural aged additionally may have to face problems like desertion by the educated youth to follow better opportunities in cities, disease, and lack of mobility.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study strived to evaluate dental myths, oral hygiene methods, and tobacco habits awareness in a rural ageing population in the perspective of a changing India.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study area consisted of a group of ten villages, situated in district Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were questioned about dental myths, tobacco habits, and oral hygiene methods and then divided into groups on the basis of age, sex, and educational status. The number of sound teeth in each subject was also counted.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean-values, standard deviation, Chi-square test and P values were used to make inter-group comparisons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Forty percent of the subjects considered oral hygiene unnecessary, 60.8% of the population was relying on simple mouth rinsing for maintaining oral hygiene, 48% had either the habit of smoking and chewing tobacco or both and 81% of the subjects had one dental myth or the other. We concluded that the rural aged is a deprived lot and a targeted program to infuse scientific dental practices in them is necessary.
authors: Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dental Sciences, C. S. M. Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors: Saumyendra V
authors: SV
authors: Singh
authors: Zafar
authors: Z
authors: Akbar
authors: Arvind
authors: A
authors: Tripathi
authors: Suresh
authors: S
authors: Chandra
authors: Anurag
authors: A
authors: Tripathi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003817:Dentition; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009229:Mythology / Q000523:psychology; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000523:psychology; D012424:Rural Population; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D064424:Tobacco Use / Q000523:psychology; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000523:psychology; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000379:methods; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
chemical_list: D009067:Mouthwashes