Knowledge and Awareness on Habits and Habit Breaking Appliances Among Parents-A Questionnaire Survey
Author(s): Vishnu Prasanna SG, Vignesh Ravindran* and Keerthi Sasanka L
Abstract
Habits are one of the major etiologic factors which will lead to malformation in dentofacial structures. Oral habits can be classified as normal or deleterious. Parafunctional habits are recognized as a major etiological factor for the development of dental malocclusion. Thumb sucking and tongue thrusting are the most commonly seen oral habits. The study aims at assessing the knowledge and awareness of habit and habit breaking appliances among parents. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted in January 2020 among parents. 100 parents who brought their kids with adverse oral habits for treatment participated in this study. The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions related to the habit and its effects. The collected data was added in MS Excel and subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS software and Chi-square test was done. The results depicted that 92% of parents were aware of thumb sucking habit, 75% were aware of mouth breathing habit, 66% were not aware of tongue thrusting, and 71% aware of bruxism. 73% of parents were aware that oral adverse habits can lead to malocclusion. 83% of parents felt that habit breaking appliance can prevent malocclusion. 71% of the parents did not know that habit breaking appliance should not be used for more than 6 months. 46% of males and 27% of females were aware that adverse oral habits can lead to malocclusion. Chi square test shows p=0.000, significant. Majority of the parents were aware that habit breaking appliances can be used to prevent malocclusion but most of them did not know that habit breaking appliances were used to treat adverse oral habits.