Abstract
Objectives : Periodontal disease is a serious oral disease that frequently occurs among adults. The objective of this study is to provide necessary data for the development of an oral health care program that can effectively manage periodontal disease and subsequently maintain and enhance oral health. Methods : Data was collected from patients of a dental clinic in Daejeon, Korea from 1 July to 25 August 2009. A thesis submitted to the Committee of Graduate School of Public Health & Biotechnology Chungnam National University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Health conferred in February, 2010. Results : 68% of the patients were aware of periodontal disease, with older patients exhibiting better awareness. 48.0% replied that their periodontal health is good in general, with older patients inclined to say that their periodontal health was poor. 70.5% cited bad brushing habit or skipping the act of tooth brushing as the cause of periodontal disease, while 63.5% reported brushing their teeth an average of 3 times a day. 56.5% said that they brush their teeth correctly, and 63.5% told that they brush their teeth up and down, and left to right and 70.0% replied that they would attend an educational program for the prevention of periodontal disease, with older patients shown to more likely attend such a program. Conclusion : a program that can motivate people to become aware of the importance of oral health care should be developed and implemented. Such a program should include the dissemination of correct and accurate oral health care information and measures for educating people about the importance of prevention.
