Oral health status and treatment needs of prisoners in district jail of raichur city, karnataka – a cross sectional study

Background and objectives: The prison population is a unique and challenging one, with many health problems, including poor oral health. Dental diseases can reach epidemic proportions in the prison setting. The aim of the study was to assess the oral health status and treatment needs of prisoners in district jail of Raichur city, Karnataka. Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out on 102 prisoners (males were 98 and females were 04) in the district jail of Raichur. A specially designed questionnaire was used to assess the demographic variables and oral hygiene practices. A clinical examination was done according to WHO (World Health Organization) criteria 1997 and recorded using WHO Oral Health Assessment Form. Results: The mean age of the study subjects was 29.9(+ 9.74) years and the mean DT, MT, FT and DMFT was 1.59(+1.58), 0.52(+3.02), 0.05(+0.21) and 2.16 (+3.44) respectively. The prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease was 76.5% and 93.1% respectively. The oral hygiene status was poor in 33.7% of the study subjects. Conclusion: Poor oral hygiene, high prevalence of periodontal disease and dental caries are major public oral health problem among the prisoners, which require special attention and efforts from government and other organizations to meet their treatment needs.