Awareness and Practices of Oral Hygiene and its Relation to Sociodemographic Factors among Patients attending the General Outpatient Department in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Kolkata, India.

Background: Periodontal diseases, dental caries, malocclusion, and oral cancer are the most prevalent dental diseases affecting people in the Indian community.

Objective: The study was conducted to assess the awareness and practices on oral hygiene and its association with the sociodemographic factors among patients attending the general Outpatient Department (OPD).

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 224 patients attending the general OPD of the SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, India, from 1 April to 30 April, 2013.