Introduction: Gingival bleeding (GB) is a common clinical finding in periodontal diseases. It is one of the most easy and reliable parameters for evaluating periodontal status. Self-reported GB provides vital information about periodontal diseases of a population and their periodontal treatment needs. Aim:To assess self-awareness and experiences of gingival bleeding among undergraduate students and interns at a dental college. Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 204 undergraduate students and interns at Rama Dental College Hospital & Research Centre, Kanpur using online questionnaire. Participants were selected by convenience sampling from July 2023 toDecember 2023 after ethical clearance. Responses entered into Google Forms were exported to Microsoft Excel Sheet 2019 and descriptive analysis for calculation of frequency, percent, mean, and standard deviation was done. Results: A total of 204 undergraduate students (Female: 153, 40.1% and Male: 51, 13.4%) participated with ages ranging from 17-31 years. Most respondents (204, 53.4%) were from BDS. About two-third participants (139, 83.0%) experienced gingival bleeding. Most participants (102, 68.1%) believed there was a relation between the gingival disease and systemic disease. However, very few of the participants believed that antihypertensive (126, 38.2%), anticonvulsant (90, 36.1%), and immunosuppressive (118, 43.5%) drugs could increase gingival bleeding. Not even half (75, 32.7%) believed they knew about gingivitis. Conclusion: The majority of participants reported experiencing gingival bleeding (GB). While many demonstrated awareness of the connection between gingival health and systemic diseases, a notable lack of knowledge was observed regarding the potential adverse effects of antihypertensive, anticonvulsant, and immunosuppressive drugs on gingival health. This highlights the necessity to reinforce gingival health awareness among undergraduate students, addressing specific gaps in understanding related to the impact of certain medications on gingival conditions.

Gingival bleeding, Periodontal diseases, Dental students, Systemic diseases, Medication effects, Oral health awareness.