title: Oral health status among hospitalized patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate into oral health status and its association with health status in hospitalized patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 82 patients were examined and 49 (59.7%) patients were men. The patients answered a survey and oral examinations to detect the number of teeth, oral hygiene index, prostheses hygiene, oral lesions, caries, dental plaque index (DPI), gingival inflammation index (GI), gingival bleeding index, periodontitis and periodontal index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oral hygiene was associated with age, but it was not related to physical disability. Difficulty eating was mainly associated with age and tooth loss. All full and partially dentate patients presented dental plaque, 38 (69%) poor oral hygiene, 58 (98.1%) gingival inflammation, 41 (74.5%) periodontal disease and 33 (60%) caries. Oral lesions were detected in 30 (36.5%) and candidiasis (n = 16, 19.6%) was the most frequent mucous lesion. Caries were associated with smoking and poor oral hygiene. Hospital length of stay and age were associated with increased DPI and GI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of hospitalized patients did not present satisfactory oral hygiene. Caries and periodontal diseases are associated with health behaviours. Increased time length at hospital could increase gingival inflammation and dental plaque accumulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Pediatric Dentistry, State University of Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. ancarrilho@hotmail.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carrilho Neto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Paula Ramos
authors.forename: A C P
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sant'ana
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Passanezi
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009909:Oral Health; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric