Oral Health Status and Treatment Needs among Intellectually Disabled in Madurai

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the oral health status and treatment needs among intellectually disabled (ID) people in Madurai city. Objectives: To evaluate the oral health status and treatment needs among ID people in Madurai city. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 133 ID people obtaining training at special schools in Madurai. After obtaining the parental consent of the participants, oral health was assessed using World Health Organization (WHO) proforma 1997 and oral hygiene level was assessed using Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S). Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, version 22.0 for Windows). Results: The result of the present study shows higher prevalence of oral problems in mentally retarded subjects with 31.6% periodontal disease, 49.6% dental caries, and 39.1% poor oral hygiene status, among the study participants. Conclusion: This study gives sufficient evidence to suggest that the oral health status of this disabled population was poor, and there was an increased unmet dental treatment needs.