Mohtasham Ghaffari - Professor of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Sakineh Rakhshanderou - Assistant Professor of Health Education & Health Promotion, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Yadollah Mehrabi - Professor of Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Ali Safari-Moradabadi - Assistant Professor of Health Education and Promotion, Department of Health Promotion and Education, School of Health, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Alborz, Iran.

Background and Objective: It is important to note that Oral Health Literacy (OHL) not only pertains to dental health but also has a broader impact on overall quality of life. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to assess the level of OHL in the adult population of Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: A sample of ۷۰۰ Iranian adults (Tehran), aged ۱۸-۶۴ years, participated in this study (October ۲۰۲۱ and March ۲۰۲۲). A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic variables and OHL. The questionnaire consisted of four domains: cognitive, behavioral, media, and communication skills. The data was analyzed by software SPSS ۱۹. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square tests, and multiple regression analysis. Statistical significance was set at P < ۰.۰۵.Results: The average age of the subjects was ۳۵.۵۰±۸.۸۷ years, ranging from ۱۸ to ۶۱ years. The mean OHL score was ۶۷.۶۲±۱۵.۵۳, indicating a moderate level of OHL. Among the dimensions of the questionnaire, cognitive skills received the highest scores and Communicative skill lowest. The results revealed significant associations between OHL and demographic variables. Multiple regression analysis showed that income, education level (academic and below diploma), and marital status (married) significantly predicted OHL.Conclusion: This study highlights the need for improved OHL in the Iranian adult population. The findings suggest that educational interventions targeting low-educated individuals and specific demographic groups could help enhance OHL. Efforts should be directed towards improving communication skills in oral health settings.

Oral health literacy, Adult Population, Tehran