ABSTRACT:
1. Background Oral hygiene behavior plays a key role in preventing oral health problems among schoolchildren. Poor oral hygiene behavior, such as irregular tooth brushing, lack of proper brushing, and frequent consumption of sugary foods and drinks, increases risk of oral health problems. 2. Objective • To assess oral hygiene behaviors of schoolchildren • To compare oral hygiene practices between private and government schools. 3. Methodology An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among four purposively selected private & government schools of Terai and Hilly Region children from classes 1–7 • Face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire • Descriptive analysis was performed, presented in frequencies and percentages. 4. Results Oral Hygiene Practice (N=391) Indicator Terai Hilly P-Value Private School (N=111) % Government School (N=107) % Private School (N=94) % Government School (N=79) Use of Tooth Brush >0.05 Yes 99.1 96.3 98.9 98.7 No 0.9 3.7 1.1 1.3 Brushing Frequency Daily <0.001 Once 47.75 49.53 34.0 55.7 Twice 36.93 34.57 56.4 29.1 Multiple Times 14.41 15.88 1.1 3.8 Few Times 0.90 0.0 7.4 8.9 Rarely 0.0 0.0 1.1 2.53 Mouth Rinsing after Meals 0.03 Yes 62.7 73.8 77.7 74.7 No 37.3 26.2 22.3 25.3 Proper Brushing Technique <0.001 Yes 25.5 26.2 41.5 5.1 No 74.5 73.8 58.5 94.9 Nail Biting 10.48 11.50 6.25 5.81 >0.05 Thumb Sucking 4.03 6.19 4.17 3.48 >0.05 Sugary Drinks/Snacks Consumption 85.48 82.30 89.58 90.69 >0.05 Brushing frequency, rinsing after meals, and proper brushing technique differed significantly by school type and region, while toothbrush use and other oral hygiene habits showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) 5. Conclusion Toothbrush use and mouth rinsing behaviors were good, but there was inadequate brushing practice and knowledge, especially in government schools in hilly areas. It shows the need for school-based oral health education programs, brushing demonstrations, and periodic dental screening