Attitude towards Cessation of Habit among Tobacco User Patients Visited to a Dental Institution in Central India

Abstract Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the attitude of patients towards cessation of tobacco-related habits. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was carried out in 480 (67.7% males and 32.3% females) tobacco user patients in a Dental Institution of Central India regarding the form of tobacco use, duration, frequency, and attitude towards stoppage of the habit in the time span of 6 months. Results: The majority of patients were from low socioeconomic strata. They were in the age group from 20 to 55 years, irrespective of gender. Two hundred and forty-five (51.04%) cases consumed the smoked form of tobacco, out of which 77.55% cases had a frequency of smoking three times a day, whereas 22.45% cases had a frequency of smoking once a day. Two hundred and thirty-five (48.96%) cases consumed smokeless form of tobacco, out of which 150 (63.83%) cases consumed tobacco daily, and 85 (36.17%) cases were occasional chewers. Irrespective of smokeless and smoked forms, 53.33% cases tried to quit the tobacco habit in the past 1 year. 20.83% cases were willing to quit the habit the same day of their hospital visit. 16.25% cases were not at all ready to stop the habit. 9.58% cases were unaware of the deleterious effects on the oral mucosa caused by tobacco. Conclusion: The behavioral pattern of tobacco usage among patients and their attitude towards cessation will provide a better perspective to deal with their health status and treatment plan. Thus, the need of the hour is to implement various norms so as to cut the crab of this dreadful and deleterious habit.