oral hygiene knowledge, practices, attitude, and awareness among primary school students in a rural area of mardan, pakistan

Introduction: poor oral hygiene significantly impacts quality of life, manifesting in pain, dental abscesses, eating difficulties, and social embarrassment due to dental issues. while oral hygiene knowledge is crucial, its effectiveness hinges on the development and implementation of positive attitudes and habits. the aim is to determine the level of oral hygiene knowledge, practices, attitudes, and awareness among primary school students in a rural area of mardan, pakistan. materials and methods: a cross-sectional, school-based study was conducted employing a self-administered structured interview questionnaire to evaluate oral hygiene knowledge, practice, attitude, and awareness among 384 primary students aged 7–15 years residing in rural areas of mardan. descriptive statistics were utilized for data analysis using spss version 22. results: the study of 384 students aged 7–12 found that 58.4% used toothbrushes, 32.1% used miswak, 7.2% used toothpicks, and 2.3% used dental floss. while 79.4% valued regular checkups, 52.1% visited the dentist only when in pain, with 67.28% citing fear as the main deterrent. most students knew the harm of high-sugar diets (62.26%), soft drinks (58.45%), and gum diseases (57.14%). conclusion: the study concludes the importance of targeted interventions crucial to improving students' oral hygiene. despite a strong understanding of dental issues, gaps in practice and attitudes remain. enhancing oral hygiene habits and access to dental care services are essential.