Oral Hygiene Status, Dental Caries Experience and Treatment Needs among Psychiatric Outpatients in Chennai, India

Objective: To assess the oral hygiene status, dental caries experience and treatment needs among psychiatric outpatients in Chennai.

Basic Research Design: A cross – sectional descriptive study was carried out on patients receiving care at the Outpatient Wing of The Department of Psychiatry, Stanley Medical College and Hospital, Chennai. A cluster sampling technique was employed.

Participants: The study sample consisted of 159 male and 145 female psychiatric patients.

Main Outcome Measures: Oral hygiene status, Dental caries experience and Treatment needs.

Results: Among the male subjects; 9 (5.6%), 75(47.2%) and 75(47.2%) had good, fair and poor oral hygiene, respectively. Among the female subjects; 9(6.2%), 87(60%) and 49(33.8%) had good, fair and poor oral hygiene, respectively. The overall mean DMFT among males and females was 7.8±0.52 and 8.01±0.50, respectively.

Association between age and DMFT score was found to be statistically very highly significant [ X²= 54.64, df = 4, p = 0.000]. The association between gender and DMFT score was found to be statistically not significant [ X²= 3.73, df = 1, p = 0.053].Prevalence of dental caries in the study population was 83.55%

Conclusion: The oral hygiene status of psychiatric outpatients is poor. Dental caries experience and treatment needs are high.