Connotation of Oro-Dental Disorders with Food & Social Customs

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the existing correlation between Oro-Dental disease occurrences with dietary and social habits among the local dental patients. Methodology:This 30-day cross sectional study was conducted at Baqai Dental College Hospital Outpatient Clinic, Karachi, using pre- designed questionnaires. During the study, age, gender, types of oral disorders (identified by calibrated dental professional), and dietary preferences were looked. After informed consent and ethical approval, prospective and consecutive data of 115 subjects was collected and 15 were excluded because of inconclusive pathological oro-dental condition. Results: Oral lesions were reported as dental pain with bleeding, dental pain with swelling, dental pain only or dental pain with both swelling and bleeding. Only 32% participants admitted to consume Naswar/ Chalia and smoking. 21 % patients admitted to consume all types of foods. 67 % were suffering from tooth decay. Naswar/ chalia eaters and smokers presented with pain alone, and pain with swelling. Surprisingly those who claimed vegetable consumption were noted to have more dental decay as well as pain. Conclusions: This study suggested that in the absence of dominant abnormal social habits and food, suffering from Oro-Dental disorders may be related to poor quality of vegetables, water, host s characteristics or activated HPA axis in the development of pathogenic dental process.