[Evaluate of popular knowledge and everyday practices in oral health].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the popular knowledge and everyday practices in oral health of public services' users. METHODS The target population was selected from a stratified sample and included users seeking medical care in health care units in Santa Maria - RS. The data were collected using a semi-structured interview and organized into descriptive categories groups, allowing the distribution in a frequency table. RESULTS It was verified the predominance of the age group between 21 to 40 years old and females. The socioeconomic pattern is characterized by low schooling and family income. The search for oral diseases control are due to individual awareness of the need of oral hygiene and dental care; fluoride in toothpaste and drinking water and its benefits were not known by the population. CONCLUSIONS The health programs offered to the population must take into account the knowledge and practices in oral health care to make it possible an improvement of oral health according to their reality. In addition there is a need to promote the collective awareness on health promotion in every level of the society.