Dental Health Status in Institutionalized Severely Handicapped Persons
1993 Volume 43 Issue 3 Pages 345-351
Details
1993 Volume 43 Issue 3 Pages 345-351
The oral health status of 144 institutionalized severely handicapped persons was studied. The parameters assessed were dental caries, OHI-S, gingival hyperplasia, and gingival index newly modified by us (GI modified).
The main results were as follows:
1. Prevalence of dental caries in the subjects was significantly lower than in the National Survey of Dental Health (1987).
2. Severe deposits of dental calculus was observed in teenagers and progressed as the subjects aged.
3. Progressed periodontal disease was detected in teenagers and most of the subjects in their 30s and 40s had severe periodontitis.
4. The prevalence rate of gingival hyperplasia was 47% in the subjects who had received phenytoin medication.
5. Phenytoin medication had no relation with periodontal status or OHI-S.
6. Also, the severity of gingival hyperplasia had no correlation with duration of phenytoin therapy in the hospital, periodontal status, or OHI-S.
In conclusion, it is necessary to establish a dental health system for severely handicapped persons especially for the improvement and prevention of periodontal disease.
