title: Assessment of oral hygiene habits, oral hygiene practices and tooth wear among fertilizer factory workers of Northern India: A Cross sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between oral hygiene habits & practices and severity of tooth wear lesion varies from community to community and also from occupation to occupation. The present study was conducted with to assess oral hygiene habits & practices and tooth wear among fertilizer factory workers of Punjab, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive cross sectional survey was conducted among 965 male workers who were aged between 19-58 years, who were the workers of fertilizers factory of Bathinda, India. An interview on the demographic profile, oral hygiene practices, and adverse habits followed a clinical examination for recording the Tooth Wear (Smith and Knight Index 1984) using Type III examination. The Chi-square test and a Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis were used for the statistical analysis. Confidence interval and p-value set at 95% and ≤ 0.05 respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present study majority (47.2%) of the study population used chew sticks for cleaning their teeth. Overall prevalence of adverse habits was reported (92.4%). Study population showed higher prevalence of tooth wear (77.1%). Best predictors identified for Tooth Wear were oral hygiene practices, adverse habits, years of work experience and age respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considerable percentages of fertilizer factory workers have demonstrated a higher prevalence of tooth surface loss. This may be useful in designing the investigations that aim to further explore the causes for these findings and more importantly to plan oral health promotion program implementing both preventive and curative strategies.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Tooth wear, smith & knight index, fertilizer factory.
authors.affiliation: MDS, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of public health dentistry, Maharaja Ganga Singh Dental College and Research Center, Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Vivek V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: MDS, Reader, Dept. of public health dentistry, Pacific dental college and hospital, Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Kailash
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asawa
authors.affiliation: MDS, Professor and Head, Dept. of public health dentistry, Pacific dental college and hospital, Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Nagesh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.affiliation: MDS, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Public health dentistry, Pacific dental college and hospital, Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Mridula
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tak
authors.affiliation: MDS, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Public health dentistry, SMBT Dental College and Hospital, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Salil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bapat
authors.affiliation: MDS, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Public health dentistry, R.R. Dental College and Hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Pulkit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaturvedi
authors.affiliation: MDS, Reader, Dept. of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, AL Azhar Dental College, Perumbillichira PO, Thodupuzha, Kerela.
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Philip-George
authors.affiliation: MDS, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Oral medicine and Radiology, Mahatma Gandhi dental college and hospital, Debari, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chitkara
authors.affiliation: MPH, University of North Texas Health Science Center.
authors.forename: Maulikkumar-Natubhai
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: MDS, Post graduate student, Dept. of Public Health Dentistry, Pacific Dental College and Hospital, Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Kushal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shinde
authors.affiliation: BDS, Luxmi Bai Dental College and Hospital, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Prabhjot-Kaur
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Sidhu