A Retrospective Analysis of the Gender Difference in the Oral Hygiene Status of Patients in the Age Group of 18-25 Years

Oral health is considered as the quality of health that enables an individual to socialize easily without any active disease, discomfort, or embarrassment, which impacts general well-being. One of the major public health problems is oral disease, which has higher prevalence and significant social impact. To improve oral health in a community, it is essential to have oral health–related knowledge. The aim of this study is to evaluate the gender difference in oral hygiene status of the patients in the age group of 18-25 years. A retrospective study was conducted among the patients who visited Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals for their treatment. The OHI-S status of the patients was assessed. A total of 4311 patients were included in the study. Data comprising OHI- S and the gender of all the patients were collected. The obtained data were statistically analyzed by using SPSS software of version 23. The results showed that 62% of the involved patients were males and the remaining 38% were females of the total study population. Among which the males had better oral hygiene status when compared with that of the females participated (p < 0.05 which is statistically significant). Within the limits of the present study, male patients in the age group of 18-25 years had better oral hygiene when compared to that of the females.