DT News - UK - Mentally ill people found to have poorer oral health

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 27 November 2012

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BRISTOL & LONDON – As little research has been conducted on oral health in people with severe mental illness, researchers from the UK have studied oral health status in this population and the impact of oral health on mental health. They found significantly high rates of tooth decay and widespread need for periodontal treatment in these patients, as well as reduced quality of life.

Overall, the findings of the study indicate that oral health has a great impact on patients with severe mental health problems and that their oral health is poorer than the national adult population, the researchers said.

According to the study, 78 per cent of the patients were smokers and about 50 per cent had not seen a dentist in the last two years. The researchers found that caries was prevalent in 53 per cent and 55 per cent were in need of advanced periodontal treatment.

In addition, the patients were asked to provide a complete oral health impact profile through a questionnaire designed to measure patients’ oral health-related quality of life. The mean profile score was 25.4 out of a possible 56. Almost 53 per cent reported recurrent dental pain. More than half of the study participants reported that their quality of life was negatively affected by their oral health status.

The research was conducted by researchers at the University Hospitals Bristol and Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry in London. They clinically examined the mouths of 89 individuals, mostly male patients over 45, from eight outpatient psychiatric care clinics in Tower Hamlets, east of the City of London.

The study was published online on 9 November in the British Dental Journal.

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