Abstract
BACKGROUND: Poor oral health outcomes and underutilization of oral care services might result from low oral health literacy (OHL). It's critical to identify individuals with insufficient OHL and enhance provider-patient communication. The purpose of this research was to ascertain if OHL and oral health conditions among Bengaluru city undergraduate students were related. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To measure OHL, 1600 undergraduate students in Bengaluru City participated in a cross-sectional research using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry-30 (REALD-30). After the questionnaire was administered using the WHO Oral Health Assessment Form-2013, an oral examination was conducted. Correlation and comparison tests were included of the statistical analysis, and P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: OHL and dental status were shown to be negatively correlated. Gingival bleeding, periodontal pockets, loss of attachment, tooth erosion, and trauma all showed significant variations in OHL (P < 0.001). There was no discernible correlation with enamel fluorosis (P = 0.14). OHL scores were higher for students who did not need therapy than for those who did (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Poorer oral health condition is linked to lower OHL. People who are at risk for poor oral health outcomes may be identified with the use of OHL assessment tools.