Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior among Dental & Medical Students at Kabul University of Medical Sciences

Abstract Objective: The study's goal was to find out how much dentistry and medical students at Kabul University of Medical Sciences knew about oral health, as well as their attitudes and behaviors toward dental health and oral hygiene routines. Materials and Methods: From September 2022 to December 2022, cross-sectional research was conducted at Kabul University of Medical Sciences. A total of 496 dentistry and medical students (312 females and 184 males) aged 18–25 years old from 5 colleges of health and medical-related disciplines were addressed. All participants were given a thorough questionnaire with 30 amended items modified from Peterson et al. and Stenberg et al. Results: 44.5% of the participants brushed their teeth twice per day, 41.3% once per day, and 9.31% more than twice per day, while just 4.7% cleaned their teeth less than once per day. Surprisingly, the majority of participants (91%) were aware of the significance of routine dental visits, and 51.3% of participants reported visiting the dentist frequently even while they experienced pain. 94% of students were of the opinion that brushing their teeth prevents dental decay. 93% of them agreed that using fluoride strengthens teeth, and 96% said that sweets are bad for teeth. Conclusions: Oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors are associated with the individual subject’s educational level. Females are more concerned about their oral health than males. And for better oral hygiene, there is a need for educational programs for the public.