Dental health and treatment needs among a sample of Bangladeshi medical users aged 40 years and over living in Tower Hamlets, UK.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the dental health status and treatment needs of Bangladeshi medical care users aged 40 years and over and to explore the relationship of oral disease status, tobacco usage and paan (betel quid) chewing.


METHODS
Multi-centre cross-sectional study.


METHODS
General medical practitioners' waiting areas in Tower Hamlets, UK.


METHODS
185 Bangladeshi adults aged 40 years and over.


METHODS
A clinical examination and an interview schedule.


METHODS
Dental status, periodontal status, dental plaque, calculus and denture status. Tobacco smoking and paan chewing behaviour.


RESULTS
The response rate was 74%. 85% of participants were dentate with an average number of 24 (SD +/- 5.4) standing teeth. The mean DMFT score was 5.38, with missing teeth (3.81) being the major component. The decayed component was 0.43 and the filled was 1.14. 46% of participants were assessed as being free from gingivitis. Significant relationships between chewing paan and aspects of dental and periodontal status were found. Impacts of oral health were reported by 45% of the respondents. The normative need for dental treatment was 96% with a perceived need of 48%.


CONCLUSIONS
There was considerable normative dental need. Whilst caries experience was low, there were high levels of periodontal treatment needs. Paan chewing was related to aspects of dental and periodontal status.
Pearson
N
N
Tower Hamlets Healthcare NHS Trust, Community/Salaried Dental Services, Dental Department, St Leonard's Primary Care Centre, Nuttall Street, London E1 SLZ, UK.
Croucher
R
R
Marcenes
W
W
O'Farrell
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001114:Areca; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000453:epidemiology; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000453:epidemiology; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003778:Dentures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D009909:Oral Health; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology