A study of the prosthodontic and oral health needs of an ageing psychiatric population.
BACKGROUND
Life expectancy has increased worldwide, with India (having 8% who are senior citizens), falling into the "Greying Country" category. This ageing population constitutes a high-risk oral health group, vis-à-vis impaired manual dexterity, cognitive deterioration and unmet treatment needs, which could be compounded by psychiatric morbidity.


OBJECTIVE
To assess oral health status and prosthodontic need of ageing psychiatric patients.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty-five patients, aged 50 years or above, admitted to the Department of Geriatric Mental Health, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, were examined for prosthodontic, oral health status and need, the study population being divided into groups on the basis of Bristol Activities Scale of Daily Living.


RESULTS
Depressive symptoms (which increased with age) and psychiatric morbidity were found to be more in females. About 98% of the population showed probing depths of more than 3 mm, with mean number of decayed/missing teeth and inability to maintain oral/denture hygiene (p < 0.001) increasing in higher disability levels. While 91.3% of the population wearing a prosthesis required new dentures, 33.3% of the study population had unfulfilled partial denture need and 28.4% had unfulfilled upper/lower complete denture need.


CONCLUSIONS
Ageing psychiatric subjects require dental education and treatment to meet their needs.
Bhansali
Sumit
S
Department of Prosthodontics & Dental Material Sciences, Faculty of Dental Sciences, U.P. King George's University of Dental Sciences, Lucknow, U.P., India. bhansalisumit@gmail.com
Tripathi
Arvind
A
Tiwari
S C
SC
Singh
Saumyendra V
SV
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004245:DMF Index; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003778:Dentures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires