Students' knowledge of oral hygiene vs its use in practice.

PURPOSE The purpose of the work is to estimate the knowledge connected with the rules of the oral hygiene and its correlation with everyday habits among the students of Dental studies and Medical Studies at Medical School in Lublin and Polytechnics of Lublin. MATERIAL AND METHODS A survey was conducted among 483 students: 58 2nd-year and 88 5th-year students of dentistry, 97 2nd-year and 51 5th-year students of medicine and 108 2nd-year and 81 5th-year students from The Polytechnics of Lublin. RESULTS The study revealed that 50% students of dentistry, 32.43% students of medicine and 26.6% students of polytechnics brush their teeth after every meal; 94.23% students of dentistry, 89.91% students of medicine and 78.8% students of polytechnics know-how often teeth should be brushed. Students had better knowledge of how frequent they should change a toothbrush: 71.8% students of dentistry, 61.49% students of medicine and 54.4% students of polytechnics change their toothbrushes every 3 months, however, 84.61%, 62.16% and 49.42% students respectively have knowledge concerning the frequency of changing a toothbrush. The study also revealed that 13.46% students of dentistry, 10.14% students of medicine and 6.49% students of polytechnics visit dental clinic every 3 months, however, 4.49%, 13.51% and 14.05% students respectively go to see the dentist less than once a year. The reason for making a dental appointment was pain in 7.05% students of dentistry, 16.22% students of medicine and 22.22% students of polytechnics and a check-up in 64.74%, 62.84% and 51.85% students respectively. CONCLUSIONS Students' knowledge of oral hygiene does not always correlate with practice.