Volume 24, Issue 5 (7-2026)
TB 2026, 24(5): 72-90 |
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Ethics code: IR.SSU.REC.DENTISTRY.1402.039
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Tabatabaei S H, Aboutalebi Koshkeno S A, sabaghzadegan F. Misconceptions About Oral Health and Dentistry: Attitude Evaluation of Clients at Yazd Dental School in 2023. TB 2026; 24 (5) :72-90
URL: http://tbj.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-3792-en.html
URL: http://tbj.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-3792-en.html
School of Dentistry, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran , farinazsabagh@yahoo.com
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Misconceptions About Oral Health and Dentistry: Attitude Evaluation of Clients at Yazd Dental School in 2023
Seyed Hosein Tabatabaei (DDS,MSc)1, Shahab Al-din Aboutalebi Koshkeno (DDS)2, Farinaz sabaghzadegan (DDS,MSc)3
1.Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology ,School of Dentistry, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. Board member of Iranian association of oral pathologists ,Tehran, Iran .
2.General dentist ,School of Dentistry. Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences .Yazd, Iran.
3.Corresponding author: Assistant professor, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry. Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences .Yazd, Iran.
Email: farinazsabagh@yahoo.com Tell: 09133598543
Abstract
Introduction: People hold various beliefs about oral and dental health, some of which lack a scientific basis and hinder achieving an optimal level of community health. The present study was conducted to examine the attitudes of patients referring to the Yazd School of Dentistry regarding misconceptions about oral and dental health and dentistry, from the winter of 2022 to 2023 (for one year).
Methods: : In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 300 patients referring to the Yazd School of Dentistry were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire with confirmed validity and reliability and were analyzed using statistical tests.
Results: In terms of intensity, the mean score of incorrect attitudes was 44.83 ± 6.03. In terms of extent, 46.3% of individuals had a moderate level of incorrect attitudes. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean incorrect attitude scores across subgroups based on gender, age, occupation, or media use. However, the difference in mean incorrect attitude scores based on educational level was statistically significant. Linear regression showed that none of the examined variables had a significant ability to predict incorrect attitudes toward dental treatments.
Conclusion: The level of misconceptions about dentistry in the studied community was moderate in both intensity and extent. Therefore, appropriate education especially during the years of schooling can help prevent the impact of incorrect beliefs regarding oral and dental health. This study was derived from a student thesis in dentistry (No. 1280), approved by the Research Council of the Shahid Sadoughi School of Dentistry, Yazd.
Keywords: Attitude, Misconceptions, Dental Treatments, Oral Health , Oral Hygiene
Conflict of interest: The authors declared no conflict of interest.
References
1-Schramme T. Health as Complete Well-Being: The WHO Definition and Beyond. Public health ethics. 2023;16(3):210-8.
2-Wang C, Chen S, Shao R, Yang W. Redefining human health: physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing, social wellbeing, and environmental wellbeing. Chinese medical journal. 2023;136(20):2395-6.
3-Rai A, Menon I, Aruna D, Singh A. Association between taboos in dentistry and oral health behavior among adult population of Ghaziabad. J Dent Specialities. 2016;4(1):14-20.
4-Hassan HI, Ansteinsson VE, Dalbak ET & et al. Oral healthcare beliefs among home care services personnel; a cross-sectional study in south-eastern Norway. BMC Health Services Research. 2024;24(1):1090.
5-Byakodi S, Khan M, Biradar J & et al. Taboos among general population about dental extraction in Sangli region: A prospective study. Bioinformation. 2025;21(5):1714-8.
6-Khan AD, Ali M, Ajmal MA & et al. Prevalence of Misconceptions and Myths Regarding Oral Health Among Medical and Dental Students in Peshawar, Pakistan. Cureus. 2024;16(1):e52800.
7-Singh A, Shrestha A, Bhagat T & et al. Assessment of oral health status and treatment needs among people of Foklyan area, Dharan, Nepal. BMC Oral Health. 2020;20(1):1-8.
8-Gowdar IM, Alqahtani AM, Asiri AM & et al. Oral Health Myths among General Population at Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences. 2021;13(1):S241-S5.
9-AlJasser R, Alsinaidi A, Bawazir N & et al. Association of oral health awareness and practice of proper oral hygiene measures among Saudi population: a systematic review. BMC Oral Health. 2023;23(1):785.
10-Tabatabaei SH, HAerian A, Eslami-Abrandabadi M. Investigating Patients’ Attitude Referred to Health Centers of Yazd in Regard with their Inappropriate Beliefs about Dentistry in 2012. Toloo-e-behdasht. 2017;15(5):143-52.
11-Taheri AM, Hidarnia A, Zarei F & et al. Investigating the relationships among oral health-related knowledge, attitude, practice, and self-efficacy in predicting oral health behaviors among female Iranian students. Frontiers in oral health. 2025;6:1533519.
12-Bashirian S, Khoshravesh S, Ayubi E & et al. Predicting the oral health-related behaviors of the Iranian elderly based on the extended theory of planned behavior. BMC Oral Health. 2025;25(1):1137.
31-Razavi SM, Khalesi S, Chamlanian M. Investigation of the Patients' Attitudes Referring To Dental Centers toward Some Common Beliefs about Oral Health in Isfahan, Iran, During 2020. Journal of Mashhad Dental School. 2021;45(3):247-56.
14-hosseini n, MorrowatiSharifabad MA, Rahaii Z & et al. A Survey of Predictors of Oral and Dental Care in Pregnant Women in Yazd: Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Tolooebehdasht. 2018;17(1):50-61.
15-Pishva N, Asefzadeh S. Community intervention to modify beliefs, traditions and practices of oral health in yahya-abad village. Journal of inflammatory diseases. 2010;14(3):44-51.
16-Pishva N, Asefzadeh S, Pishva M & et al. Traditional beliefs and behaviors of mothers and teachers related to oral health of children in rural districst of Qazvin: A qualitative study. Journal of Islamic Dental Association of IRAN. 2009;20(4):292-300.
17-Coppola G, Christopoulou I, Gkantidis N & et al. The effect of orthodontic treatment on smile attractiveness: a systematic review. Progress in orthodontics. 2023;24(1):4.
18-Lishoy R, Priyal R, Jamenis SC & et al. A survey to assess the knowledge and attitude of adults from the age group of 18 to 35 Years towards comprehensive orthodontic treatment-A questionnaire based study on adult orthodontics. IP Indian Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Research. 2020;6(4):255-63.
19-Saeidi M, Mohammadbeigi A, Salehi F & et al. Frequency of tobacco use and its relationship with oral soft tissue lesions. Caspian Journal of Dental Research. 2022;11(1):30-7.
20-Ballini A, Cantore S, Signorini L & et al. Efficacy of Sea Salt-Based Mouthwash and Xylitol in Improving Oral Hygiene among Adolescent Population: A Pilot Study. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2020;18(1).
21-Olusile AO, Adeniyi AA, Orebanjo O. Self-rated oral health status, oral health service utilization, and oral hygiene practices among adult Nigerians. BMC Oral Health. 2014;14(1):140.
22-Guay AH, Blatz A. The effect of the Great Recession on the demand for general oral health care and orthodontic care. The Journal of the American Dental Association. 2019;150(4):287-93.
23-Vujicic M, Fosse C. Estimating the cost of introducing a Medicaid adult dental benefit in 22 states. Health Policy Institute Research Brief: American Dental Association, 2021.
24-Mahdavian S, Asadzadeh Aghdaee N. Assesment of edentulous patients, motivation attending to practical denturists for providing a complete denture in Mashhad in 2003-2004. Journal of Mashhad Dental School. 2004;28(3, 4):263-8.
25-Esmaeilzadeh F, Movahhed T, Hasani Yaghooti MR & et al. Content analysis of fluoride-related posts on Instagram. BMC Oral Health. 2024;24(1):1179.
26-Leung E, Kerr D, Askelson N & et al. Understanding topical fluoride hesitancy and refusal behaviors through the extended parallel process model and health belief model. Journal of public health dentistry. 2023;83(1):3-8.
27-Seemann R, Bizhang M, Djamchidi C & et al. The proportion of pseudo-halitosis patients in a multidisciplinary breath malodour consultation. International Dental Journal. 2006;56(2):77-81.
28-Khorshidi H, Raoofi S. An Overview of Oral Malodor (Halitosis). Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal. 2017;16(3):355-68.
29-Albano D, Galiano V, Basile M & et al. Artificial intelligence for radiographic imaging detection of caries lesions: a systematic review. BMC Oral Health. 2024;24(1):274.
30-Lee W, Lee S, Chong S & et al. Radiation dose reduction and improvement of image quality in digital chest radiography by new spatial noise reduction algorithm. PloS one. 2020;15(2):e0228609.
31-Delgado-Pérez VJ, Patiño-Marín N, Rueda-Ibarra V & et al. Epidemiological and Oral Public Health Aspects of Dental Pain: A Narrative Review. Cureus. 2024;16(12):e74908.
32-Yeganeh H, Khazaei A. Investigating the Factors Affecting the Possibility of Choosing a Dental Office by Clients from a marketing perspective (Case Study: Dental offices in West of Mazandaran Province). Journal of healthcare management. 2020;11(36):21-32.
33-Fernandez R, Eisa E, Alqattan A & et al. Factors influencing patients’ decisions while choosing a dental care provider. International Journal of Dental Health Sciences. 2016;3(6):1025-31.
34-Taheri AM, Zarei F, Hidarnia A & et al. Effectiveness of a school-based educational intervention on oral health knowledge, attitudes, practices, and self-efficacy among female secondary school students: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Oral Health. 2025;25(1):625.
35-Farnoudi M, Poureslami HR, Shamsuddin H & et al. Examining topics related to oral and dental health in elementary school textbooks in Iran in the academic year 2013-2014. Health and development. 2017;6(2):154-60.
36-Rahmatzadeh-YousefAbadi F, Ranayi E, Babazadeh S & et al. Collection of a List of Pseudo-Scientific or Unsupported Beliefs of Iranians about Oral Health: A Qualitative Study in 1399. Journal of Mashhad Dental School. 2022;46(4):346-60.
Seyed Hosein Tabatabaei (DDS,MSc)1, Shahab Al-din Aboutalebi Koshkeno (DDS)2, Farinaz sabaghzadegan (DDS,MSc)3
1.Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology ,School of Dentistry, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. Board member of Iranian association of oral pathologists ,Tehran, Iran .
2.General dentist ,School of Dentistry. Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences .Yazd, Iran.
3.Corresponding author: Assistant professor, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry. Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences .Yazd, Iran.
Email: farinazsabagh@yahoo.com Tell: 09133598543
Abstract
Introduction: People hold various beliefs about oral and dental health, some of which lack a scientific basis and hinder achieving an optimal level of community health. The present study was conducted to examine the attitudes of patients referring to the Yazd School of Dentistry regarding misconceptions about oral and dental health and dentistry, from the winter of 2022 to 2023 (for one year).
Methods: : In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 300 patients referring to the Yazd School of Dentistry were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire with confirmed validity and reliability and were analyzed using statistical tests.
Results: In terms of intensity, the mean score of incorrect attitudes was 44.83 ± 6.03. In terms of extent, 46.3% of individuals had a moderate level of incorrect attitudes. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean incorrect attitude scores across subgroups based on gender, age, occupation, or media use. However, the difference in mean incorrect attitude scores based on educational level was statistically significant. Linear regression showed that none of the examined variables had a significant ability to predict incorrect attitudes toward dental treatments.
Conclusion: The level of misconceptions about dentistry in the studied community was moderate in both intensity and extent. Therefore, appropriate education especially during the years of schooling can help prevent the impact of incorrect beliefs regarding oral and dental health. This study was derived from a student thesis in dentistry (No. 1280), approved by the Research Council of the Shahid Sadoughi School of Dentistry, Yazd.
Keywords: Attitude, Misconceptions, Dental Treatments, Oral Health , Oral Hygiene
Conflict of interest: The authors declared no conflict of interest.
References
1-Schramme T. Health as Complete Well-Being: The WHO Definition and Beyond. Public health ethics. 2023;16(3):210-8.
2-Wang C, Chen S, Shao R, Yang W. Redefining human health: physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing, social wellbeing, and environmental wellbeing. Chinese medical journal. 2023;136(20):2395-6.
3-Rai A, Menon I, Aruna D, Singh A. Association between taboos in dentistry and oral health behavior among adult population of Ghaziabad. J Dent Specialities. 2016;4(1):14-20.
4-Hassan HI, Ansteinsson VE, Dalbak ET & et al. Oral healthcare beliefs among home care services personnel; a cross-sectional study in south-eastern Norway. BMC Health Services Research. 2024;24(1):1090.
5-Byakodi S, Khan M, Biradar J & et al. Taboos among general population about dental extraction in Sangli region: A prospective study. Bioinformation. 2025;21(5):1714-8.
6-Khan AD, Ali M, Ajmal MA & et al. Prevalence of Misconceptions and Myths Regarding Oral Health Among Medical and Dental Students in Peshawar, Pakistan. Cureus. 2024;16(1):e52800.
7-Singh A, Shrestha A, Bhagat T & et al. Assessment of oral health status and treatment needs among people of Foklyan area, Dharan, Nepal. BMC Oral Health. 2020;20(1):1-8.
8-Gowdar IM, Alqahtani AM, Asiri AM & et al. Oral Health Myths among General Population at Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences. 2021;13(1):S241-S5.
9-AlJasser R, Alsinaidi A, Bawazir N & et al. Association of oral health awareness and practice of proper oral hygiene measures among Saudi population: a systematic review. BMC Oral Health. 2023;23(1):785.
10-Tabatabaei SH, HAerian A, Eslami-Abrandabadi M. Investigating Patients’ Attitude Referred to Health Centers of Yazd in Regard with their Inappropriate Beliefs about Dentistry in 2012. Toloo-e-behdasht. 2017;15(5):143-52.
11-Taheri AM, Hidarnia A, Zarei F & et al. Investigating the relationships among oral health-related knowledge, attitude, practice, and self-efficacy in predicting oral health behaviors among female Iranian students. Frontiers in oral health. 2025;6:1533519.
12-Bashirian S, Khoshravesh S, Ayubi E & et al. Predicting the oral health-related behaviors of the Iranian elderly based on the extended theory of planned behavior. BMC Oral Health. 2025;25(1):1137.
31-Razavi SM, Khalesi S, Chamlanian M. Investigation of the Patients' Attitudes Referring To Dental Centers toward Some Common Beliefs about Oral Health in Isfahan, Iran, During 2020. Journal of Mashhad Dental School. 2021;45(3):247-56.
14-hosseini n, MorrowatiSharifabad MA, Rahaii Z & et al. A Survey of Predictors of Oral and Dental Care in Pregnant Women in Yazd: Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Tolooebehdasht. 2018;17(1):50-61.
15-Pishva N, Asefzadeh S. Community intervention to modify beliefs, traditions and practices of oral health in yahya-abad village. Journal of inflammatory diseases. 2010;14(3):44-51.
16-Pishva N, Asefzadeh S, Pishva M & et al. Traditional beliefs and behaviors of mothers and teachers related to oral health of children in rural districst of Qazvin: A qualitative study. Journal of Islamic Dental Association of IRAN. 2009;20(4):292-300.
17-Coppola G, Christopoulou I, Gkantidis N & et al. The effect of orthodontic treatment on smile attractiveness: a systematic review. Progress in orthodontics. 2023;24(1):4.
18-Lishoy R, Priyal R, Jamenis SC & et al. A survey to assess the knowledge and attitude of adults from the age group of 18 to 35 Years towards comprehensive orthodontic treatment-A questionnaire based study on adult orthodontics. IP Indian Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Research. 2020;6(4):255-63.
19-Saeidi M, Mohammadbeigi A, Salehi F & et al. Frequency of tobacco use and its relationship with oral soft tissue lesions. Caspian Journal of Dental Research. 2022;11(1):30-7.
20-Ballini A, Cantore S, Signorini L & et al. Efficacy of Sea Salt-Based Mouthwash and Xylitol in Improving Oral Hygiene among Adolescent Population: A Pilot Study. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2020;18(1).
21-Olusile AO, Adeniyi AA, Orebanjo O. Self-rated oral health status, oral health service utilization, and oral hygiene practices among adult Nigerians. BMC Oral Health. 2014;14(1):140.
22-Guay AH, Blatz A. The effect of the Great Recession on the demand for general oral health care and orthodontic care. The Journal of the American Dental Association. 2019;150(4):287-93.
23-Vujicic M, Fosse C. Estimating the cost of introducing a Medicaid adult dental benefit in 22 states. Health Policy Institute Research Brief: American Dental Association, 2021.
24-Mahdavian S, Asadzadeh Aghdaee N. Assesment of edentulous patients, motivation attending to practical denturists for providing a complete denture in Mashhad in 2003-2004. Journal of Mashhad Dental School. 2004;28(3, 4):263-8.
25-Esmaeilzadeh F, Movahhed T, Hasani Yaghooti MR & et al. Content analysis of fluoride-related posts on Instagram. BMC Oral Health. 2024;24(1):1179.
26-Leung E, Kerr D, Askelson N & et al. Understanding topical fluoride hesitancy and refusal behaviors through the extended parallel process model and health belief model. Journal of public health dentistry. 2023;83(1):3-8.
27-Seemann R, Bizhang M, Djamchidi C & et al. The proportion of pseudo-halitosis patients in a multidisciplinary breath malodour consultation. International Dental Journal. 2006;56(2):77-81.
28-Khorshidi H, Raoofi S. An Overview of Oral Malodor (Halitosis). Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal. 2017;16(3):355-68.
29-Albano D, Galiano V, Basile M & et al. Artificial intelligence for radiographic imaging detection of caries lesions: a systematic review. BMC Oral Health. 2024;24(1):274.
30-Lee W, Lee S, Chong S & et al. Radiation dose reduction and improvement of image quality in digital chest radiography by new spatial noise reduction algorithm. PloS one. 2020;15(2):e0228609.
31-Delgado-Pérez VJ, Patiño-Marín N, Rueda-Ibarra V & et al. Epidemiological and Oral Public Health Aspects of Dental Pain: A Narrative Review. Cureus. 2024;16(12):e74908.
32-Yeganeh H, Khazaei A. Investigating the Factors Affecting the Possibility of Choosing a Dental Office by Clients from a marketing perspective (Case Study: Dental offices in West of Mazandaran Province). Journal of healthcare management. 2020;11(36):21-32.
33-Fernandez R, Eisa E, Alqattan A & et al. Factors influencing patients’ decisions while choosing a dental care provider. International Journal of Dental Health Sciences. 2016;3(6):1025-31.
34-Taheri AM, Zarei F, Hidarnia A & et al. Effectiveness of a school-based educational intervention on oral health knowledge, attitudes, practices, and self-efficacy among female secondary school students: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Oral Health. 2025;25(1):625.
35-Farnoudi M, Poureslami HR, Shamsuddin H & et al. Examining topics related to oral and dental health in elementary school textbooks in Iran in the academic year 2013-2014. Health and development. 2017;6(2):154-60.
36-Rahmatzadeh-YousefAbadi F, Ranayi E, Babazadeh S & et al. Collection of a List of Pseudo-Scientific or Unsupported Beliefs of Iranians about Oral Health: A Qualitative Study in 1399. Journal of Mashhad Dental School. 2022;46(4):346-60.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Dental
Received: 2025/06/17 | Accepted: 2026/07/1 | Published: 2026/07/1
Received: 2025/06/17 | Accepted: 2026/07/1 | Published: 2026/07/1
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