Prevalent Dental Myths and Practices in Indian Population- A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objectives: The present systematic review was conducted to assess knowledge and awareness on prevalent dental myths related to infant teething, pregnancy and cleft lip and palate and various oral health habits in Indian population. Method: Electronic and manual database was searched vigorously between period of January 1994 to January 2017 using PUBMED and GOOGLE SCHOLAR search engines to include relevant studies from peer-reviewed journals which have been conducted in India.Results: A total of 24 scientific questionnaire studies conducted in various states of India were included. 16 out of 24 studies (66.67%) dealt with various dental myths and practices prevalent among rural Indian population whereas only 1 study included both urban and rural populations. Region wise maximum studies were conducted in Southern region [8 studies (33.3%)] followed by 7 studies (29.16%) in Northern, 6 studies (25%) in Western and 1-1 study (4.16% each) in Eastern and Central India respectively. Conclusion: The results indicate that the knowledge and awareness levels about dental myths and oral practices in both rural and urban population in various regions of India is inadequate. It is necessary for dental practitioners to educate masses for better dental health.