Oral Health Knowledge and Dietary Awareness among Primary School Teachers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Dental caries is a substantial oral-health problem among Libyan schoolchildren, and teachers may contribute to school-based prevention. However, evidence on teachers’ oral-health knowledge and dietary awareness in Libya is limited. The study aim to assess oral-health knowledge and dietary awareness among primary school teachers in Benghazi, identify knowledge gaps and associated factors, and assess attitudes and self-reported practices related to oral-health promotion. Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among teachers in 20 public and private primary schools in Benghazi between February and April 2026. A total of 400 questionnaires were distributed; 372 were returned and two duplicate records were removed, leaving 370 participants for analysis. A structured Arabic self-administered questionnaire assessed sociodemographic characteristics, oral-health knowledge, dietary awareness, practices, attitudes, and previous oral-health training. A composite knowledge score was calculated from 10 scored items (range 0–10). Results: The mean knowledge score was 5.09 ± 1.28, indicating moderate overall knowledge. Knowledge was high for sticky sweets (96.7%) and carbonated drinks (94.6%), but only 16.3% correctly identified bacteria as the primary cause of dental caries and 8.8% identified the appropriate timing for brushing after eating. Only 34.0% had previously received oral-health training. Teachers with previous oral-health training had higher mean knowledge scores than those without training (5.38 ± 1.19 vs. 4.96 ± 1.29; p = 0.003). Knowledge was not significantly associated with education level or teaching experience. Most teachers believed they had a role in oral-health promotion (86.7%) and were willing to attend future training (86.1%). Conclusion: Primary school teachers in Benghazi have moderate oral-health knowledge, important gaps in caries etiology and preventive practices, and strongly positive attitudes toward oral-health promotion. Structured, evidence-based training and standardized school materials may help translate teachers’ motivation into effective oral-health education.