IADR Abstract Archives
Oral Health Awareness Among Mentally Illness Patients - Hospital Based Study
Objectives: To assess the importance of oral health among individuals with mental illness.
Methods: A hospital based study was conducted at SCARF( schizophrenia research foundation). Ethical clearance was obtained from the institutional ethics committee, Saveetha University. A total of 50 individuals, both male and female aged from 18 to 50 years were included in the study. A self administered structured questionnarie including 10 multiple choice questions was given both in english and tamil language.The questionnarie included information related to the patients name, age, gender, occupation and residential area. 10 minutes were alotted for completing the questionnarie. The completed questionnaries were then analysed statistically to obtain the results in terms of percentages. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0 .
Results: 98% of participants used tooth brush as a method to clean their teeth, only18% were aware about interdental aids and mouthwashes. Thirty three percent people brush their teeth once daily, around 74% change their tooth brushes once in 2 months. 66% were aware that they should go to the dentist, and only 70% were not aware that they should vist a dentist once in 6 months. About 78% were aware about their oral hygiene. Around 66% were aware about dental caries.
Conclusions: Our study is first of its kind and shows lack of knowledge about oral hygiene habits among mentally challenged individuals. We, as dentists have a major role to keep reinforcing the importance of maintaining oral hygiene habits among these individuals. The need for the demand of dental services for the community placed individual with mental illness will dramatically increase over the next decade.Many state and local agencies have been reluctant to initiate programs to meet the dental needs of these clients due to the many difficulties in providing other services to this population.
Methods: A hospital based study was conducted at SCARF( schizophrenia research foundation). Ethical clearance was obtained from the institutional ethics committee, Saveetha University. A total of 50 individuals, both male and female aged from 18 to 50 years were included in the study. A self administered structured questionnarie including 10 multiple choice questions was given both in english and tamil language.The questionnarie included information related to the patients name, age, gender, occupation and residential area. 10 minutes were alotted for completing the questionnarie. The completed questionnaries were then analysed statistically to obtain the results in terms of percentages. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0 .
Results: 98% of participants used tooth brush as a method to clean their teeth, only18% were aware about interdental aids and mouthwashes. Thirty three percent people brush their teeth once daily, around 74% change their tooth brushes once in 2 months. 66% were aware that they should go to the dentist, and only 70% were not aware that they should vist a dentist once in 6 months. About 78% were aware about their oral hygiene. Around 66% were aware about dental caries.
Conclusions: Our study is first of its kind and shows lack of knowledge about oral hygiene habits among mentally challenged individuals. We, as dentists have a major role to keep reinforcing the importance of maintaining oral hygiene habits among these individuals. The need for the demand of dental services for the community placed individual with mental illness will dramatically increase over the next decade.Many state and local agencies have been reluctant to initiate programs to meet the dental needs of these clients due to the many difficulties in providing other services to this population.
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