# Dental Visits, Dentist–Patient Communication, and Its Association with Oral Cancer Examination Behavior Among Tobacco/Nicotine Product Users in Western India: A Cross-Sectional Study

## TL;DR

Tobacco users in Western India rarely visit dentists or get oral cancer exams, but those who do are much more likely to have had the exam, especially if their dentist discussed its importance.

## Contribution

This study identifies dentist visits and communication as key drivers of oral cancer examination behavior among tobacco users in Western India.

## Key findings

- Only 8.7% of participants had undergone an oral cancer examination.
- Those who visited a dentist in the past year were nearly 10 times more likely to have had the exam.
- Communication about OCEs and tobacco cessation increased the likelihood of the exam by 2.5 times.

## Abstract

What are the main findings?
Nearly half (45.9%) of the participants had never visited a dentist, and only 8.7% reported having undergone an oral cancer examination (OCE).Those who visited a dentist within the past year were almost 10 times more likely to have had an OCE.Dentist–patient communication about the importance of OCEs and the benefits of quitting tobacco was linked to a 2.5-fold increase in OCE behavior.

Nearly half (45.9%) of the participants had never visited a dentist, and only 8.7% reported having undergone an oral cancer examination (OCE).

Those who visited a dentist within the past year were almost 10 times more likely to have had an OCE.

Dentist–patient communication about the importance of OCEs and the benefits of quitting tobacco was linked to a 2.5-fold increase in OCE behavior.

What are the implications of the main findings?
Promoting regular dental visits among tobacco/nicotine product users is essential, and policymakers should consider mandating oral cancer examinations (OCEs) as part of routine dental care for this high-risk group.Strengthening dentist–patient communication about OCEs and tobacco cessation should be a priority for public health programs to help reduce the oral cancer burden among tobacco/nicotine product users.

Promoting regular dental visits among tobacco/nicotine product users is essential, and policymakers should consider mandating oral cancer examinations (OCEs) as part of routine dental care for this high-risk group.

Strengthening dentist–patient communication about OCEs and tobacco cessation should be a priority for public health programs to help reduce the oral cancer burden among tobacco/nicotine product users.

Background/Objectives: Regular dental visits are key to early oral cancer detection, especially for tobacco users. Effective dentist–patient communication about oral cancer examinations (OCEs) and quitting tobacco could influence patients’ actual OCE behavior. This study investigated the association of dental visits and dentist–patient communication with OCE behavior among tobacco/nicotine product users in Western India. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 350 current tobacco/nicotine product users from a dental hospital and 15 dental camps in Daman, India, between July 2023 and January 2024. The outcome variable was OCE behavior; the explanatory variables included past dental visits and dentist–patient communication about the benefits of quitting tobacco and importance of OCEs; and the covariates were socio-demographic factors and past 30-day smoking and smokeless tobacco use. The data was analyzed using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models. Results: Only 8.7% of participants reported having undergone an OCE. Those who visited a dentist within the past year were approximately 10 times more likely to have had an OCE (OR = 9.95, p = 0.01). Participants whose dentist discussed the importance of OCE (aOR = 2.59, p = 0.04) and the benefits of quitting tobacco (OR = 2.45, p = 0.04) were 2.5 times more likely to have had an OCE. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the important role of dental visits and effective dentist–patient communication in promoting OCEs among tobacco/nicotine product users. Public health campaigns should prioritize enhancing dental visits and dentist–patient communication to emphasize the benefits of tobacco cessation and regular OCEs to reduce the oral cancer burden in this population.