Knowledge and practice of oral hygiene among primary school pupils in Bichi local government area of Kano state, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the knowledge and practice of oral hygiene among primary school pupils in public schools in Bichi Local Government Area of Kano State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was employed, and a total of 400 pupils were selected using a two-stage simple random sampling procedure. Data were collected using a validated and reliable researcher-developed questionnaire (KP-OH-PP-PS-Q). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic information, while inferential statistics including Chi-square, Independent Samples t-test, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that pupils generally exhibited average oral hygiene knowledge and practice, with a mean score of 5.63. Significant differences were found in oral hygiene practices based on gender and location, with female and urban pupils demonstrating better practices than their male and rural counterparts. The study concludes that although pupils show moderate oral hygiene awareness and behaviour, disparities exist across demographic groups. It recommends strengthened school-based oral health education, regular dental outreach programmes, and targeted interventions to improve oral hygiene among males and rural pupils.