Assessment of knowledge, behavior and practices related to oral health and oral lesions among dental OPD patients in India.

Poor oral health knowledge and practices contribute significantly to the high burden of oral diseases, particularly in developing regions. Therefore, it is of interest to assess knowledge, behavior and practices related to oral health and oral lesions among patients attending a dental outpatient department (OPD). Hence, a cross-sectional survey of 500 adults was conducted using a structured questionnaire along with clinical oral examination. Only 38.4% demonstrated adequate knowledge and 31.6% showed positive oral hygiene behaviors, while 23.8% presented with oral mucosal lesions significantly associated with tobacco use. Thus, we show the urgent need for targeted oral health education and tobacco cessation interventions to reduce disease burden.