Awareness, Attitude, and Preventive Practices of Oral Hygiene among School Teachers in Bengaluru: Do Policy-driven School Initiatives Make a Difference?
R. V. Pooja, Y. S. Prasanna Kumar, C. N. Aruna, Syeda Rabiya IqbalAbstract
Background:
Teachers play a crucial role in shaping children’s health behaviors, including oral hygiene practices. Understanding their knowledge and preventive behaviors is essential for developing effective school-based oral health programs.
Aim:
The aim is to assess the awareness, attitudes, and preventive oral hygiene practices of private school teachers in Bengaluru and assess the influence of school oral health policies on these parameters.
Materials and Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 126 private school teachers using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Version 20.0 with Descriptive statistics and inferential tests (
Results:
Most teachers were female (60.3%) and aged 35–44 years. Awareness regarding brushing habits and the role of sugary foods in dental caries was high (87.3%). Awareness of professional preventive methods such as sealants and fluoride varnish was moderate (69%). Nearly all teachers (99.2%) agreed that prevention is better than treatment, and 96.8% supported the implementation of school-based oral health programs. However, only 47.6% reported written school oral health policies, with major barriers including competing academic priorities (39.7%) and lack of trained staff (21.4%). Schools with written policies demonstrated significantly higher teacher awareness and better preventive practices (
Conclusion:
Teachers exhibited good awareness and a positive attitude toward oral health promotion. However, gaps in preventive knowledge and limited policy implementation highlight the need for structured training and mandatory oral health policies in schools.