AbstractIntroduction: Oral health is an integral component in the general health of an individual and has become a significant public health issue with a substantial social impact. It is essential to evaluate three domains related to oral health at the population level, namely knowledge, attitude, and practice. Objective: To assess the level and aspects of knowledge, attitudes, and practice of oral health amongst Pilgrims Visiting Tirumala (Tirupati). Methodology: A descriptive crosssectional study using the English language version of Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) which was modified to 28 questions and distributed to 300 pilgrims out of whom 279 replied. Pre-tested structured open-ended questionnaires were self-administered to investigate by means their knowledge, attitude, and practice towards oral hygiene. According to the responses of questionnaires, the data analyzed by using Statistical Software package (SPSS version 21.0), and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 279 pilgrims included in the study; 65.5% (n = 183) males and 34.4% (n = 96) females, among the study group, 45.8% reported brushing their teeth twice daily using a toothbrush and toothpaste. The majority of respondents, 77% (n = 215) reported visiting the Dentist only when experiencing pain. The most common reasons for not visiting the Dentist were fear 51.2% (n = 143) and high cost 48.7% (n = 136). Conclusion: This study revealed that the overall understanding of oral health behaviors among the Pilgrims was good, although there were shortages in their insight in a few areas.
Keywords: Attitude; Knowledge; Behavior; Oral hygiene; Pilgrims.