Dental Practice and Oral Health

This study aimed at assessing periodontal health status and treatment needs among psychiatric patients attending Ndola Central Hospital, Zambia. Cross section hospital based study was conducted between March and May 2015. Periodontal health status and treatment needs were recorded using Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Need (CPITN) according to 1987 WHO Surveys. Data was entered into a computer using Epi Info and analyzed using SPSS 16. Chi-square test (significant level of ≤0.05) was used to test associations between independent variables and periodontal health. A total of 110 psychiatric patients were enrolled in the study whereby 80 (72.7%) were males. Most (61.8%) of the patients were of age less than 35 years. Schizophrenia was the most common diagnosis (73.6%) and the average duration of diagnosed psychiatric illness was 5 years. Healthy periodontal tissues were found in 24.5% of the patients. Bleeding on probing, dental calculus, shallow pockets and deep pockets were recorded in 3.6%, 25.5%, 29.1% and 17.3% of the patients, respectively. Education (AOR for secondary education: 0.51, 95% CI [0.30, 0.87]) and age (AOR for 35+ years: 1.73, 95% CI [1.07, 2.82]) were significantly independently associated with poor periodontal health. Treatment requires include oral hygiene instructions (3.6%), prophylaxis (54.6%) andcomplex periodontal treatment 17.3%. All the inpatients 21 (19%) reported not to brush their teeth during admission period. Majority of the patients had poor periodontal health signifying need for deliberate tailor made periodontal prevention and treatment program among psychiatric patients. Age and education were significantly associated with poor periodontal health.