Knowledge, attitude and behaviour for choosing oral hygiene Aids among students of management institutes, Ghaziabad, India / Conocimientos, actitudes y comportamientos para elegir elementos auxiliares la higiene oral entre los estudiantes de los institutos de administración, Ghaziabad, India

OBJECTIVE: There is a lot of information available about various oral hygiene aids used for the maintenance of oral hygiene and the prevention of oral diseases but the reason why people choose a particular product is under-reported. This study sought to assess the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of choosing oral hygiene aids among students of management institutes in Ghaziabad, India. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in five management institutes selected by simple random sampling and data were collected from 1224 students by self-administered structured validated questionnaire. RESULTS: The study showed that toothbrush (96.8%) and toothpaste (95.2%) were the main products used for the maintenance of oral hygiene. The most commonly used brand dentifrices were Colgate and Close-Up (47%, 23.3%) and in toothbrush, Oral B and Colgate (48.4%, 30.9%), respectively. A particular brand of toothpaste was preferred by 66.4% of the subjects because of childhood and parental use, which was the most influential factor (56.9%). Bristle design was the main criterion for choosing a toothbrush (44.9%), followed by bristle consistency (33.1%). The most commonly used toothbrushes were of soft bristle consistency (51.2%) and 10.9% of the subjects did not know the type ofbristle consistency present in their toothbrush. CONCLUSION: Selection of oral hygiene products was based more on parental influence and there seems to be a lack of knowledge and awareness about how to choose a dentifrice and toothbrush.

OBJETIVO: Hay mucha información disponible sobre diferentes elementos auxiliares usados para el mantenimiento de la higiene oral y la prevención de enfermedades orales, pero las razones por las cuales la gente elige tal o cual producto en particular, no son reportadas en la misma medida. Este estudio buscó evaluar los conocimientos, actitudes y comportamientos a la hora de elegir los elementos auxiliares para la higiene bucodental entre los estudiantes de los institutos de administración en Ghaziabad, India. MÉTODO: Se realizó una encuesta transversal en cinco institutos de administración seleccionados por muestreo aleatorio simple, y se obtuvieron datos de 1224 estudiantes mediante un cuestionario validado estructurado auto-administrado. RESULTADOS: El estudio mostró que el cepillo de dientes (96.8%) y la pasta de dientes (95.2%) eran los principales productos utilizados para el mantenimiento de la higiene oral. Las marcas dentífricas más comúnmente utilizadas fueron Colgate y Close-Up (47%, 23.3%), y en los cepillos de dientes, Oral By Colgate (48.4%, 30.9%) respectivamente. Una marca particular de pasta de dientes era preferida por 66.4% de los sujetos debido al uso por parte de padres y niños, lo que resultó ser el factor más influyente (56.9%). El diseño de las cerdas fue el principal criterio para elegir un cepillo de dientes (44.9%), seguido por la consistencia de las cerdas (33.1%). Los cepillos de dientes más comúnmente usados fueron los de cerdas de consistencia suave (51.2%) y 10.9% de los sujetos no sabían el tipo de consistencia de las cerdas de su cepillo de dientes. CONCLUSIÓN: La selección de productos de higiene oral se basaba más en la influencia de los padres, y parece que hay una falta de conocimiento y conciencia sobre cómo elegir el dentífrico y el cepillo de dientes.

Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviour for Choosing Oral Hygiene Aids among Students of Management Institutes, Ghaziabad, India.

OBJECTIVE: There is a lot of information available about various oral hygiene aids used for the maintenance of oral hygiene and the prevention of oral diseases but the reason why people choose a particular product is under-reported. This study sought to assess the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of choosing oral hygiene aids among students of management institutes in Ghaziabad, India. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in five management institutes selected by simple random sampling and data were collected from 1224 students by self-administered structured validated questionnaire. RESULTS: The study showed that toothbrush (96.8%) and toothpaste (95.2%) were the main products used for the maintenance of oral hygiene. The most commonly used brand dentifrices were Colgate and Close-Up (47%, 23.3%) and in toothbrush, Oral B and Colgate (48.4%, 30.9%), respectively. A particular brand of toothpaste was preferred by 66.4% of the subjects because of childhood and parental use, which was the most influential factor (56.9%). Bristle design was the main criterion for choosing a toothbrush (44.9%), followed by bristle consistency (33.1%). The most commonly used toothbrushes were of soft bristle consistency (51.2%) and 10.9% of the subjects did not know the type of bristle consistency present in their toothbrush. CONCLUSION: Selection of oral hygiene products was based more on parental influence and there seems to be a lack of knowledge and awareness about how to choose a dentifrice and toothbrush.

Sensitivity pattern of Salmonella serotypes in Northern India

BACKGROUND: Enteric fever continues to be a major public health problem, especially in the developing countries of the tropics. We determined the incidence of Salmonella bloodstream infections and their antimicrobial resistance patterns from May to August in the years 1997-2001 in Haryana, a large state of India. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was also determined for 60 isolates of S. typhi to various commonly used antimicrobial agents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Blood cultures of 6,956 patients (PUO/septicemia) were processed by standard procedures and the Salmonella spp. isolates were identified with specific antisera and with standard biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined by Stokes disc diffusion method. The MIC of 60 randomly isolated strains of S. typhi was determined by agar dilution method using Mueller Hinton Agar medium. RESULTS: Isolation rates of Salmonella spp. increased in 2000 and 2001. Multidrug resistance (MDR) in S. typhi had increased while in S. paratyphi it had decreased markedly. Ninety per cent chloramphenicol sensitivity was seen in S. typhi by MIC method. There was a decrease in the susceptibility to ciprofloxacin of S. typhi with MIC showing an upward trend. All S. typhi tested were sensitive to third generation cephalosporins and aminoglycosides with MIC well below the breakpoint. DISCUSSION: Our study indicates that MDR in S. typhi is on the rise in our area. There is also re-emergence of chloramphenicol sensitivity. Rising MIC values of ciprofloxacin may lead to prolonged treatment, delayed recovery or pose treatment failure. Thus, sensitivity pattern of causative organism must be sought before instituting appropriate therapy to prevent further emergence of drug resistance.

Sensitivity pattern of Salmonella serotypes in Northern India.

BACKGROUND: Enteric fever continues to be a major public health problem, especially in the developing countries of the tropics. We determined the incidence of Salmonella bloodstream infections and their antimicrobial resistance patterns from May to August in the years 1997-2001 in Haryana, a large state of India. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was also determined for 60 isolates of S. typhi to various commonly used antimicrobial agents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Blood cultures of 6,956 patients (PUO/septicemia) were processed by standard procedures and the Salmonella spp. isolates were identified with specific antisera and with standard biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined by Stokes disc diffusion method. The MIC of 60 randomly isolated strains of S. typhi was determined by agar dilution method using Mueller Hinton Agar medium. RESULTS: Isolation rates of Salmonella spp. increased in 2000 and 2001. Multidrug resistance (MDR) in S. typhi had increased while in S. paratyphi it had decreased markedly. Ninety per cent chloramphenicol sensitivity was seen in S. typhi by MIC method. There was a decrease in the susceptibility to ciprofloxacin of S. typhi with MIC showing an upward trend. All S. typhi tested were sensitive to third generation cephalosporins and aminoglycosides with MIC well below the breakpoint. DISCUSSION: Our study indicates that MDR in S. typhi is on the rise in our area. There is also re-emergence of chloramphenicol sensitivity. Rising MIC values of ciprofloxacin may lead to prolonged treatment, delayed recovery or pose treatment failure. Thus, sensitivity pattern of causative organism must be sought before instituting appropriate therapy to prevent further emergence of drug resistance.