Aim: This investigation aimed to evaluate the knowledge and practice of periodontal health with assessing periodontal health status among adult Egyptian patients.
Methodology: This study was performed on 511 subjects who were recruited in a consecutive manner from the diagnostic center at faculty of Dentistry, Cairo university. A well-structured questionnaire was filled from all the participants via personal interview including a section for demographic data, diabetes and smoking. Periodontal health knowledge was assessed focusing on the basic knowledge of gingival appearance, causes and outcomes of periodontal disease, impact of systemic disease on the periodontal disease progression. Periodontal practice was assessed evaluating tooth brushing, flossing, mouth rinsing, scaling in recent five years and how to alleviate gingival bleeding. The CPITN/CPI scores were measured reflecting state of periodontal health. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS program.
Results: Level of knowledge towards periodontal health was 48.9% of the participants, but the majority (92.4%) lacked knowledge of the etiology of periodontal disease. Half of the participants didn't practice tooth brushing and only 6.3% used dental floss. There was a significant positive association between frequency of tooth brushing, flossing, scaling visits and periodontal health knowledge. Also, a significant inverse correlation between CPITN/CPI scores and periodontal health knowledge was noticed. There was a significant association between periodontal health practice and periodontal health status.
Conclusions: Educational level was a positive predictor of periodontal health knowledge, while CPITN/CPI scores were found to be negative predictors of periodontal health knowledge.