AYUSH in oral health care in India: insights from a cross-sectional survey on awareness, utilisation, patient perceptions, and oral health outcomes
6 affiliations
- 1Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India
- 2Division of Medical Research, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SRM Institute of Science and Technology
- 3Division of Medical Research, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science and Technology
- 4SRM Kattankulathur Dental College and Hospital, SRM Institute of Science and Technology
- 5Department of General Medicine, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SRM Institute of Science and Technology
- 6Indian Institute of Health Management Research
Abstract
Background: Oral health diseases affect nearly 3.7 billion people worldwide, with substantial treatment gaps in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy, and Sowa-Rigpa are all AYUSH systems that are widely used in India. However, there is paucity of evidence on public awareness, patient perceptions and utilisation of AYUSH systems for oral health care, which limits the efforts to promote informed healthcare choices and integrate traditional medicine in oral health services.
Objectives: The present study evaluated the knowledge, use and perception of AYUSH systems for oral health care among dental outpatients and secondarily, to describe their oral health status, oral health-related quality of life and dental expenditure.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1,190 outpatients attending a tertiary dental hospital from October 2025 to January 2026 was conducted. A bilingual structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socioeconomic attributes, oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-14), AYUSH awareness, healthcare utilisation and expenditure. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression and non-parametric tests were performed for analysing the awareness of AYUSH, oral health outcomes and expenditure patterns among the study participants.
Results: Of the 1,190 participants, only 30.0% were aware of AYUSH systems for oral health; and just 4.54% had used AYUSH for a dental or oral problem. Although, AYUSH utilisation was low, the perception of the participants was mainly neutral (56.47%) or positive (37.31%) and only 6.22% had low perception. Adjusted analyses showed that both neutral (AOR: 3.15; 95% CI: 1.45–6.87) and positive (AOR: 2.69; 95% CI: 1.24–5.87) perceptions were associated with increased odds of reporting favourable self-rated oral health. 41.93% of participants reported frequent impact on oral health, and the most common problem was discomfort during eating (25.88%). Monthly dental expenses differed widely by occupation, socioeconomic level, and geographical location.
Conclusion: Low awareness and limited utilisation of AYUSH for oral health problems indicate a gap in condition-specific health literacy and service integration, thereby underscoring the need for targeted patient education, standardised clinical protocols, and equitable access to integrated oral healthcare.
Related
- Exploring perceptions, awareness, and healthcare-seeking behaviors related to muscle weakness among Saudi adults: a cross-sectional study.
- L’utilisation des réseaux sociaux en anatomie pathologique: Perceptions, bénéfices, obstacles et risques selon les médecins pathologistes marocains The Use of Social Media in Anatomical Pathology: Perceptions, Benefits, Challenges, and Risks According to Moroccan Pathologists
- Understanding Obesity in Individuals with Down Syndrome: Caregiver Perceptions, Awareness, and Motivation
- Latent tuberculosis infection in focus: Evaluating public concerns, treatment perceptions, and awareness in King Sabatha Dalindyebo Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- 'An eye-opener and helpful intervention strategy': Experiences and perceptions of community members on the volunteer-led community strategy on lung cancer awareness and mobilisation in KwaZulu-Natal.
BibTeX
@article{agrawal2026ayush,
title = {{AYUSH in oral health care in India: insights from a cross-sectional survey on awareness, utilisation, patient perceptions, and oral health outcomes}},
author = {Ekta Agrawal and A. H. Sruthi Anil Kumar and Sivaramyapragathi R. S. and A. T. Ahamed Mohideen and Namrata Kamlesh and M. Shipin and M. Prem Blaisie Rajul and Divya V. C. and Shiny P. J. and Mrinmoy Das and Piyush Agrawal and Debadatta Nayak and Meenakshi Sundari S. N. and Vivek N. and Varanasi Roja and Subhash Kaushik and Rajiv Janardhanan},
journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1953884},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1953884/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - AYUSH in oral health care in India: insights from a cross-sectional survey on awareness, utilisation, patient perceptions, and oral health outcomes
AU - Ekta Agrawal
AU - A. H. Sruthi Anil Kumar
AU - Sivaramyapragathi R. S.
AU - A. T. Ahamed Mohideen
AU - Namrata Kamlesh
AU - M. Shipin
AU - M. Prem Blaisie Rajul
AU - Divya V. C.
AU - Shiny P. J.
AU - Mrinmoy Das
AU - Piyush Agrawal
AU - Debadatta Nayak
AU - Meenakshi Sundari S. N.
AU - Vivek N.
AU - Varanasi Roja
AU - Subhash Kaushik
AU - Rajiv Janardhanan
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/12
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1953884
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1953884/full
AB - Background: Oral health diseases affect nearly 3.7 billion people worldwide, with substantial treatment gaps in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy, and Sowa-Rigpa are all AYUSH systems that are widely used in India. However, there is paucity of evidence on public awareness, patient perceptions and utilisation of AYUSH systems for oral health care, which limits the efforts to promote informed healthcare choices and integrate traditional medicine in oral health services. Objectives: The present study evaluated the knowledge, use and perception of AYUSH systems for oral health care among dental outpatients and secondarily, to describe their oral health status, oral health-related quality of life and dental expenditure. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1,190 outpatients attending a tertiary dental hospital from October 2025 to January 2026 was conducted. A bilingual structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socioeconomic attributes, oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-14), AYUSH awareness, healthcare utilisation and expenditure. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression and non-parametric tests were performed for analysing the awareness of AYUSH, oral health outcomes and expenditure patterns among the study participants. Results: Of the 1,190 participants, only 30.0% were aware of AYUSH systems for oral health; and just 4.54% had used AYUSH for a dental or oral problem. Although, AYUSH utilisation was low, the perception of the participants was mainly neutral (56.47%) or positive (37.31%) and only 6.22% had low perception. Adjusted analyses showed that both neutral (AOR: 3.15; 95% CI: 1.45–6.87) and positive (AOR: 2.69; 95% CI: 1.24–5.87) perceptions were associated with increased odds of reporting favourable self-rated oral health. 41.93% of participants reported frequent impact on oral health, and the most common problem was discomfort during eating (25.88%). Monthly dental expenses differed widely by occupation, socioeconomic level, and geographical location. Conclusion: Low awareness and limited utilisation of AYUSH for oral health problems indicate a gap in condition-specific health literacy and service integration, thereby underscoring the need for targeted patient education, standardised clinical protocols, and equitable access to integrated oral healthcare.
SN - 2296-2565
ER -