The effect of oral hygiene habits and probiotic use on oral and dental health: A cross-sectional study from Cappadocia

This study investigates the relationship between oral hygiene habits, probiotic consumption, and oral and dental health in patients with periodontal complaints. The study included 205 volunteer patients with periodontal complaints who presented to Cappadocia University Cappadociadent Clinic and Nevşehir Oral and Dental Health Center between May and July 2022. The survey, consisting of “general information”, “oral and dental care”, “oral and dental health”, “eating habits”, and “diagnosis-treatment” sections answered by dentists, was applied face-to-face. The study comprised 55.1% women (n = 113) and 44.9% men (n = 92), with an average age of 37.1 years. The presence of bleeding, swelling, and sensitivity in the participants' gums did not show a statistically significant difference according to the frequency of tooth brushing (p>0.05). However, the complaint of bad breath was found to be substantial according to the frequency of tooth brushing (p<0.05). 73.7% of the participants never consumed commercial probiotic products, 75.5% never consumed kefir, and 48% consumed carbohydrate foods daily. A significant difference was detected in the number of participants' teeth extracted due to caries, depending on their carbohydrate food consumption (p<0.05). Gingivitis findings were observed in 61% of the patients, and periodontitis findings were observed in 34%. The study's findings suggest dentists should be more proactive in guiding their patients about oral hygiene and probiotic consumption. Doing so can significantly improve their patients' oral and dental health, inspiring a new approach to dental care.