Cross-sectional study of preventive dental knowledge among adult patients seeking dental care in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Aim: To evaluate the current knowledge about oral health and preventive dentistry among adults seeking dental care in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in which 900 questionnaires were randomly distributed to adults seeking dental care in all health settings in Riyadh; 450 questionnaires were distributed in each of the governmental and the private sectors. The questionnaire included questions regarding socio-demographic factors (age, education, occupation, etc) and others concerning the patient's knowledge of preventive dental measures; the oral hygiene procedures, fluoride and sealant applications and the healthy dietary habits. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and simple descriptive statistics as means and frequency distributions were calculated for the study variables. Comparisons were performed using Chi-square test. Results: Eighty-six percent of the study subjects knew that dental caries could be prevented. Almost 59% were aware of the relation between frequency of sugar intake and dental caries. The prevalence of patients who knew that fluoride prevents dental caries was 50.3%, however, only 34.2% reported previous applications of topical fluoride in dental clinics. About 16% of the participants had received fissure sealants although 42.4% knew about them. The study sample's dietary knowledge had statistically significant relations with education and occupation (p < 0.0001). Correct knowledge of visiting the dental clinic was statistically significantly related to education (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: It can be concluded that the majority of adults in Riyadh have the correct preventive dental knowledge, which is mostly related to the individuals' educational level and occupation.