%0 Journal Article
%T Exploring Secondary School Teachers' Knowledge, Awareness, and Practices Regarding Periodontal Disease
%A Girish Suragimath
%A SR Ashwinirani
%A Kirti Anil Shetgaonkar
%J International Journal of Social and Psychological Aspects of Healthcare
%@ 3108-4818
%D 2023
%V 3
%N 1
%R 10.51847/qKN7RLvjfF
%P 34-39
%X Untreated periodontal disease can lead to tooth loss and systemic inflammation. Early detection and treatment of gingivitis, along with better oral hygiene practices, can prevent the disease from affecting the deeper gum structures. Teachers play a key role in influencing students’ development, and their awareness of oral health can have a significant impact on the younger generation. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the knowledge, awareness, and practices (KAP) regarding periodontal disease among 300 secondary school teachers. The questionnaire consisted of 20 questions in three KAP sections. The teachers completed the questionnaire through individual interviews, supervised by a research assistant. The collected data were analyzed using statistical software, with descriptive statistics and a P-value of 0.05. The Chi-square test was used to analyze the responses related to the three KAP domains. Of the 300 participants, 178 (59%) were male, and 122 (41%) were female. Although most teachers demonstrated sufficient knowledge about the causes and prevention of gingivitis, their awareness, and practices were found to be lacking. The findings indicate that while the teachers’ knowledge of oral health was satisfactory, their awareness and practice of oral care were inadequate. It is suggested that oral health topics be incorporated into school curricula, and teachers should be educated on oral health maintenance to pass this knowledge on to students, ultimately improving the general and oral health of future generations.
%U https://smerpub.com/article/exploring-secondary-school-teachers-knowledge-awareness-and-practices-regarding-periodontal-disea-yu1rg9lcwhtebjz