Evaluation of oral hygiene and perception of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment attending OPD at Terna Dental College, Mumbai, Maharashtra

Aim: To evaluate oral health awareness and hygiene practices among patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment. Materials and Methods: A total of 500 patients in the age group of 15-35 years who had permanent dentition were selected using random sampling technique. A self-administered structured questionnaire including 15 multiple choice questions was given to them. The results were analysed using percentage. Results: The results of the study showed that nearly 62% patients did not follow the oral hygiene instructions, and despite being given instructions, most of them hesitated in practicing them consistently. An excellent finding was that all the patients used the toothbrush as an aid used to clean teeth. Conclusion: The knowledge and attitude of patients towards oral hygiene among orthodontic patients was minimal. Non-maintenance of oral health practices can be due to many factors. To name a few, may be ignorance and lack of motivation. Hence, intense oral hygiene programs should be established and should be inspected in the future.