European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: Oral health maintenance is indispensable for the upkeep of overall health, and a close association has been found between oral diseases and several systemic conditions.
Aims and objectives: To assess the status of awareness of link between oral health and systemic health among undergraduate dental and medical students.
Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was performed using a standardized questionnaire, wherein 20 questions were asked related to oral hygiene care, practice done and association of potential link between oral and various other systemic diseases like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, myocardial infarction, respiratory diseases, osteoporosis. A total of 300 subjects were randomly selected for the study, wherein 150 were third and final year medical students and the other 150 third and final year dental students.
Results: Dental students had more number of mean positive responses and less negative responses in comparison to their medical counterparts, and this difference was found to be statistically significant. Thereby, it is perceptible that dental students had more awareness with respect to the link between oral and systemic health. Moreover, it was also noted from the responses of the first six questions that dental students had better oral health behavior, knowledge and status than the medical students.
Conclusion: Our study shed some light on the lacunae that exists in the inter-field (medical and dental) training from the undergraduate level which can be rectified by modifying the regulations.