Table 1.
Demographic and oral health behavioural characteristics of study population
| Oral health related behaviour variables | Tribal school, N (%) | Government school, N (%) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | |||
| Male | 226 (54) | 219(51) | |
| Female | 192 (46) | 209(49) | |
| Mode of cleaning teeth | |||
| Finger | 0 | 47 (10.9) | <0.001 |
| Toothbrush | 418 (100) | 381(89.1) | |
| Frequency of cleaning teeth | |||
| Once daily | 60 (14.4) | 324(75.8) | <0.001 |
| Two or more times a day | 358(85.6) | 104(24.2) | |
| Material used for cleaning teeth | |||
| Toothpaste | 418 (100) | 361(84.4) | <0.001 |
| Toothpowder | 0 | 67 (15.6) | |
| Type of diet | |||
| Vegetarian | 0 | 83 (19.4) | <0.001 |
| Mixed | 418 (100) | 345(80.6) | |
| Frequency of sugar consumption | |||
| Once a day | – | 110(25.8) | <0.001 |
| Two times a day | 135(32.2) | 211(49.2) | |
| Three times a day | 283(67.8) | 70(16.4)) | |
| ≥3 times a day | – | 37 (8.6) | |
| Dental visit | |||
| Never visited | 418 (100) | 307(71.8) | <0.001 |
| 1–3 months back | – | 47 (10.9) | |
| 4–6 months back | – | 54 (12.5) | |
| >6 months back | – | 20 (4.7) | |
| Reason for dental visit | |||
| Pain with teeth or gums | – | 109(83.3) | <0.001 |
| Routine check-up | – | 22 (16.7) | |