Effect of Unhealthy Lifestyles on Oral Health-seeking Behaviors among 15–74-year-old South Indian Adult Population: A Study Using the SOCRATES 1996 Scale

Oral health-seeking behavior refers to an individual's actions toward maintaining or improving oral health, including seeking professional dental care, practicing good oral hygiene, and following dietary recommendations.This behavior is influenced by several factors, including socioeconomic status, education, cultural practices, and lifestyle choices. 7tages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES), 8 is a self-report questionnaire developed by William R Miller and John S Tonigan in 1996, initially to assess a person's readiness to change their substance use behavior.It is a widely used tool for measuring an individual's readiness to seek dental care, IntroductIonOral health is a crucial component of overall health and has a significant impact on the well-being of an individual, 1 yet it remains neglected in many parts of the world, particularly in low-and middle-income countries. 2,3 Poor oral hygiene and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and poor diet contribute to a wide range of oral health problems, including dental caries, periodontal disease, and oral cancer.In India, oral diseases are a significant public health challenge, with increasing prevalence due to changing lifestyles and dietary patterns. 4 Recent studies have shown that nearly 50-60% of the adult population suffers from dental caries, while the prevalence of periodontal diseases ranges from 45 to 55%, largely attributed to tobacco use, poor dietary practices, and inadequate oral hygiene. 5Furthermore, research highlights that despite the high burden of disease, a large proportion of individuals seek dental care only when symptoms become severe, with <20% reporting regular preventive dental visits. 6 Studies also emphasize that sociodemographic factors such as age, education, and income play a critical role in influencing health-seeking behavior, with younger and more educated individuals demonstrating relatively better utilization of preventive services compared to older and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.This underscores the importance of understanding oral health-seeking behaviors to promote early adoption of preventive measures and ensure timely interventions among Indian populations.