Oral Healthcare Information Seeking Behaviour of Students in Central University of Tamil Nadu: A Survey

This study examines behaviour of the students studying in the Central University of Tamil Nadu towards seeking the Oral Healthcare Information (OHI). The study utilized a survey method using a well-structured questionnaire to determine the students’ oral health information (OHI) seeking behaviour. The outcome revealed crucial insights into the level of oral health awareness and the behaviour of students’ towards seeking oral health information. Most of the respondents (81.62%) were non-smokers and did not experience the habit of chewing tobacco or other materials. The study also discovered that a substantial portion of the students do not use mouthwash (66.49%) and visit the dentist only when there is a serious dental issue (35.68%). It is a normal practice that students in general visit a dentist for treatment of dental problems, such as, teeth cleaning and filling of cavities (66.49%). Most of the respondents preferred to receive oral health care information (91.35%), drawing attention to the significance of circulating such vital information. The study detected several favoured channels for accessing oral health information, including social media (63.78%) and professional sources (48.11%). There were confrontations in accessing oral health information which were also identified, such as trustworthiness and accuracy of information (66.49%) and limited search skills (42.16%). The study underscores the necessity for university libraries and health centres to provide oral health care information and suggest diverse avenues for dissemination, including workshops, seminars, and social media campaigns. The findings contribute towards a better understanding on the students’ oral health information-seeking behaviour and offer in depth insights for improving education and the awareness of oral health. The study further focusses that the libraries should operate as the key information-dissemination hubs for all students requiring such resources.