Khmer dental and medical students' knowledge about the betel quid chewing habit in Cambodia.

95 of 144 questionnaires submitted by volunteer Khmer medical and dental students on the betel quid chewing habit in Cambodia were evaluated (58 medical, 37 dental). Questions related to the composition of the betel quid, the physiological and oral effects as well as traditional and sociological aspects. Statistical tests showed that there were differences between dental and medical students, particularly relating to the knowledge about oral effects. While 81.1% of dental students knew that betel quid chewing causes oral cancer, only 31.0% of the medical students were adequately informed. Similarly, 51.4% of the dental students knew about the relation between betel quid chewing and submucous fibrosis compared to 8.6% of the medical students (P < 0.001). In contrast, only 18.9% of the dental students thought that betel quid chewing strengthens the gum, while 56.9% of the medical students believed that betel quid chewing would have this effect (P < 0.001). The answers also showed that students do not indulge in the betel quid habit. The decline of the betel quid chewing habit was also indicated by the fact that while 5.3% of students had parents chewing betel quid, in contrast 40% of students reported grandparents with this habit. There are deficiencies of knowledge about the most important effects of betel quid chewing, particularly in medical students. Since both medical and dental students will in their future professional life have an enormous impact on health and health education, it seems justified that the dental and medical curricula should focus on these traditional habits. Proper health education starting in the dental and medical school is warranted in Cambodia and probably also in other South and Southeast Asian countries where the betel quid chewing habit is prevalent so as ultimately to improve public knowledge on the oral and other effects of this habit.