The Oral Health Knowledge and Status among a Group of Medical Institute Students in Sulaimani City/Iraq

Objective: This study aims to assess oral health knowledge, practices, and periodontal parameters among medical institute students in Sulaimani City, Iraq. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with the help of a self-administered questionnaire and clinical examination of periodontal parameters (plaque index (PI), Bleeding Index (BI) and Clinical Attachment Level (CAL)) among (200) medical institute students at Sulaimani City/Iraq. The questionnaire inquired about demographic details of students, which included students’ age and gender, and assessed the students’ knowledge about their oral health care, while the second part was based on oral health practices, with clinical examination conducted for each student by a periodontics specialist. Data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 (IBM Corporation). Results: The results showed that PI and BI with irregular brushing (1.2 (1.18), 12 (17.75), and 27.5 %), respectively, were more prevalent among male students than females, while all students more adopted the combined brushing technique (65.5%). Conclusions: Male students are less aware of their oral hygiene behavior and practice. Oral hygiene awareness programs to help and educate students on the need to adopt the correct techniques for tooth brushing and flossing are required to promote effective dental plaque control in an effort to maintain proper dental hygiene and avoid periodontal diseases