Awareness, Knowledge And Attitude Of Medical Practitioner/ General Physicians Of Karachi Pakistan, Towards Oral, Dental Problems And Dentistry .

Objectives: Oral health plays a great role in general health. One can identify systemic problem with the help of oral disease. Oral cavity is the entrance point and unhealthy oral cavity may lead to multiple diseases. For proper mastication teeth are required and unawareness to general oral and dental conditions like caries, Periodontitis etc may result in delaying of the dental treatment of the patient of medical practitioners. This study is conducted to find out the Awareness, Knowledge and Attitude of Medical Practitioner/ General Physicians towards oral dental problems and dentistry.

Methods: Cross sectional survey was conducted on 100 randomly selected medical Practitioners of Karachi using a questionnaire
Results: Result shows that 15% of the medical practitioners check the oral cavity including teeth , 93% are aware that oral health has relationship with general health but only 4% advise to visit a dentist for regular oral and dental checkup once in 6 months and 63% never advise for scaling in case of poor oral hygiene. 62% of medical practitioners ignore if patients shows the sign of caries .Usually medical practitioners try to resolve the complain by themselves
Conclusions: To Increase the knowledge and awareness regarding oral health, and to change the attitude of medical practitioners of Karachi, Medical and Dental associations, Councils, Pharmaceutical companies should arrange lecture for them. Medical universities should add a subject of dentistry in their syllabus and to encourage medical students and doctors to check the oral cavity including teeth and gums of their patients during general examination