title: Relationship Between Oral Health Literacy and Oral Health Status Among College Students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between oral health literacy and oral health by adapting a valid oral health literacy instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of 715 students from 9 institutes was included in the study. Oral health literacy (OHL) was assessed by making the students pronounce a list of 40 words from REALD-99. Oral health status (OHL) was assessed using a modified WHO (1997) proforma. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the impact of independent factors on oral health literacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 97.9%; 15 students refused to participate, leaving 700 participants in the final sample. The mean age of the participants was 20.35±1.66 years. A statistically significant difference was observed in OHL according to the clinical parameters. Caries prevalence was higher among subjects with low OHL with a mean DMFT score of 2.69±1.53, compared with high-OHL students having a mean DMFT of 0.22±0.4. Similarly, oral hygiene status was poor among subjects with low OHL (1.53±0.6). Community periodontal index (CPI) scores were lower (1.06±0.8) in subjects with high OHL than in those with low literacy (CPI: 1.6±0.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study revealed a negative correlation between oral health literacy and clinical parameters measured, that is, higher oral health literacy was associated with better oral health.
authors.forename: Karthik Kumar
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Kanupuru
authors.forename: Nusrath
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fareed
authors.forename: Kudlur Maheswarappa
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sudhir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009911:Oral Hygiene Index; D010512:Periodontal Index; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult