Oral Health Care for Inmates of Central Prison, Bangalore - An Institutionalized Approach

Abstract

Oral health is an integral part of general health. The society consists of different groups of people having different level of perception towards good oral health. The prison population is unique in nature because of the complexities of their psychological, social and behavioral aspects. Prisoners who are entangled in legal matters and imprisonment are isolated from family members and other social activities, rarely give attention and neglect their health including oral health. Prisoners have a different lifestyle and routine dental care and maintenance of oral hygiene are not the regular components, although they have many oral problems. This paper reports the activities of the oral health care programme undertaken to meet their oral health needs. It includes oral health assessment, training and utilization of dental professionals, for the delivery of oral health care .The key concept is to develop access to care and disease prevention for all the prisoners in the prison itself. Also discussed are priorities that needs to be met to make oral health an integral part of general health among inmates of Central Prison