A survey on oral health status and treatment needs of life-imprisoned inmates in central jails of Karnataka, India

Prevalence of oral submucous fibrosis across diverse populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Purpose

The aim is to offer a comprehensive overview of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) prevalence and explore its epidemiological characteristics across various demographic groups and geographical locations, thereby helping the formulation of public health management policies.

Methods

Studies reporting OSF prevalence were identified from electronic databases including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE via OVID, and Web of Science. Pooled prevalence and quality assessment using the New-Ottawa Scale were conducted. Two reviewers screened and selected records, assessed quality, and independently extracted data. This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024532975).

Results

Sixty-three studies, encompassing 11,434 cases in a total population of 769,860, reported OSF prevalence. The majority of studies (forty-one) were from India. The pooled prevalence of OSF across all populations was 3.0% (95% CI [2.8-3.2]%). In non-risk populations, risk populations, and consecutive dental patients, the pooled prevalence stood at 2.4% (95% CI [2.1-2.6]%), 4.5% (95% CI 3.5-5.6%), and 5.6% (95% CI [3.8-7.5]%), respectively. Subgroup analysis by age, sex, and geographical region revealed higher prevalence rates among those aged 50 and above (4.2%, 95% CI [3.0-5.4]%), males (3.3%, 95% CI [2.9-3.7]%), and in India (4.0%, 95% CI [3.7-4.3]%). As the exposure to risk factors exceeded 50% in the surveyed population, the prevalence of OSF notably increased. Most studies met satisfactory quality standards.

Conclusions

Our research findings reveal a comprehensive prevalence of OSF across all populations at 3.0% (95% CI [2.8-3.2]%). And, existing evidence indicates a relatively low prevalence of OSF associated with tobacco, alcohol, and Areca (betel) nut use. However, further large-scale studies are recommended to validate these findings. Understanding the prevalence and distribution patterns of OSF may assist in healthcare intervention planning and alleviate the oral cancer burden associated with OSF.

Oral health services in prison settings: A global scoping review of availability, accessibility, and model of delivery

This review aimed at evaluating the state of availability, accessibility and model of delivery of oral health services in prisons, globally. Five databases of peer-reviewed literature and potential sources of grey literature were systematically searched. Inclusion criteria encompassed oral health papers related to prisons globally, with exclusion of certain article types. Selection involved independent evaluations by two researchers, followed by quality assessment. Data on the availability of oral health interventions in prisons came from 18 countries, while information on the model of delivery of the services is scarce. In addition, two sets of individual and organizational barriers toward oral health service uptake in prisons were revealed and discussed in the text. Lack of oral health services in prisons affects people living in prisons and jeopardizes their reintegration. Urgent and concrete international actions are required to ensure the availability, accessibility, and quality of oral health services among people living in prisons.

Effectiveness of oral health education on oral hygiene status among adult male inmates in central jail, Kolkata - an interventional study

PURPOSE

Oral health is an integral part of general health. Different population groups have been assessed for oral health status in India, but still, many have been neglected; one such group is the prisoners. The prison population is a unique and challenging one with many health problems, including poor oral health, which may be due to lack of knowledge about good oral health practices. This study aims to assess effectiveness of oral health education on oral health knowledge, attitude and practices and oral hygiene status among the male prison inmates of central jail in Kolkata, India.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

An interventional study was done among 240 male convicts. The data was elicited using a structured proforma; oral health status was assessed by recording OHI-S index, and the severity of gingivitis was assessed by recording the gingival index. Oral health education was delivered by using audio-visual aid. Oral health knowledge, attitude, practices and oral hygiene and gingival status were reassessed among the inmates before and after dental education at the end of three and six months.

FINDINGS

A significant change in oral health knowledge, attitude and practices was seen, which in turn resulted in an appreciable decrease in the mean gingival index score (1.73 ± 0.382 to 1.20 ± 0.321) and OHI-S (3.31 ± 0.815 to 2.57 ± 0.551) in all the inmates after oral health education program over the period of time.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The oral health education with reinforcement proved to be an effective tool to instil good oral hygiene practices in the inmates.

Dental Treatment Needs of Male Inmates in Relation to the Analysis of Medical Databases

The worldwide incarceration rate per 100,000 people varies from 30 in India, 580 in Europe, to 750 in United States. The health of prisoners is of great concern. Research in many countries has shown poor oral health conditions among prisoners, particularly reflected in the high number of lost and untreated decayed teeth. The aim of our study was to evaluate the quality and range in dental procedures conducted on male prisoners, based on a retrospective analysis of medical history gathered at the Academic Center of Dentistry and Specialistic Medicine of Medical University of Silesia in Bytom for the period 2018-2021, and its correlation with the results obtained from the analysis of the Web of Science (WoS) and SCOPUS medical databases. Our research was carried out on the examined group, 86 men (mean age 31 years old), and a control group, 106 men (mean age 32 years old). The retrospective analysis of the medical history was performed. Results of our own research showed the values for decayed and missing teeth were significantly higher in the examined group while the values for the filled teeth component were significantly higher in the control group. The chance for the occurrence of the radices was 2.5 times higher in the examined group than in the control. The examined group was characterized by 3.6 times higher chance of no root canal treatment than the control group. The number of the endodontically treated teeth was significantly higher in the control group. The examined group was characterized by 4.2 higher probability for periapical lesion occurrence in teeth that were not endodontically treated. The number of teeth qualified for the endodontic treatment was significantly higher in the examined group, while the number of teeth qualified for the reendow treatment was significantly higher in the control group. The probability for the occurrence of both vertical and horizontal atrophy in the alveolar process was twice and three times higher in the examined than in the control group. In conclusion, the oral status of inmates is worse when compared to those who live in freedom, which is why there is a need to prepare a scheme to improve the condition of the stomatognathic system in prisoners.

Reimbursing incarcerated individuals for participation in research: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Little is known about global practices regarding the provision of reimbursement for the participation of people who are incarcerated in research. To determine current practices related to the reimbursement of incarcerated populations for research, we aimed to describe international variations in practice across countries and carceral environments to help inform the development of more consistent and equitable practices.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review by searching PubMed, Cochrane library, Medline, and Embase, and conducted a grey literature search for English- and French-language articles published until September 30, 2022. All studies evaluating any carceral-based research were included if recruitment of incarcerated participants occurred inside any non-juvenile carceral setting; we excluded studies if recruitment occurred exclusively following release. Where studies failed to indicate the presence or absence of reimbursement, we assumed none was provided.

RESULTS

A total of 4,328 unique articles were identified, 2,765 were eligible for full text review, and 426 were included. Of these, 295 (69%) did not offer reimbursement to incarcerated individuals. A minority (n = 13; 4%) included reasons explaining the absence of reimbursement, primarily government-level policies (n = 7). Among the 131 (31%) studies that provided reimbursement, the most common form was monetary compensation (n = 122; 93%); five studies (4%) offered possible reduced sentencing. Reimbursement ranged between $3-610 USD in total and 14 studies (11%) explained the reason behind the reimbursements, primarily researchers' discretion (n = 9).

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of research conducted to date in carceral settings globally has not reimbursed incarcerated participants. Increased transparency regarding reimbursement (or lack thereof) is needed as part of all carceral research and advocacy efforts are required to change policies prohibiting reimbursement of incarcerated individuals. Future work is needed to co-create international standards for the equitable reimbursement of incarcerated populations in research, incorporating the voices of people with lived and living experience of incarceration.

Oral health behind the bars: oral health seeking behavior among jail prisoners at central jail of Peshawar, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The oral health care-seeking behavior among prison inmates is an overlooked area, often leading to deteriorating general health due to the prisoners' limited awareness of oral hygiene practices. It is crucial to address this issue and understand the factors associated with oral healthcare-seeking behavior in prisons.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the oral healthcare-seeking behavior of prison inmates at Central Prisoner Jail, Peshawar Pakistan and to look the factors associated with their dental care utilization.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted at Central Prisoner Jail, Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan from November 2021 to April 2022. A consecutive sampling technique was used to collect data from both convicted and under-trial prisoners by using a pre-tested WHO Basic Oral Health Survey 2013 tool. Our outcome variable was "Visit to a dentist in the last 12 months (Never/Once or more than one visit). Chi-square test was used to determine univariate association with other explanatory variables while multivariable logistic regression was performed to adjust for potential confounders.

RESULT

A total of 225 participants were recruited to the study with a mean (SD) age of 32.9(11.4). More than two-thirds of 200(88.9%) of the participants were males. One-third of the sample never visited the dentist75(33.3). Participants who completed college/university education and never visited the dentist in the last 12 months constituted a smaller proportion (17.6%) compared to those who visited the dentist once or more than once n = 28(82.4%, p-value = 0.003). Individuals who were using toothbrushes were most frequently visiting the dentist n = 130(72.6%=p value = 0.001) as compared to never visitors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that Participants who experienced teeth pain or discomfort had 0.42 times lower odds of visiting the dentist compared to those who did not experience any pain or discomfort [AOR 0.42 (95% CI 0.17-0.80), p = 0.04]. Similarly, Participants who do not use any denture have 4.06 times higher odds[AOR 4.06(95% CI 1.76-9.36), p = 0.001] of visiting the dentist compared to those who use a denture.

CONCLUSION

Our result demonstrates that those prisoners who were experiencing tooth pain or discomfort and not using dentures were the strong predictors with lower dental visit frequency to seek oral health care.

Assessment of Oral Health Status in a Prison Population in Northern Portugal

BACKGROUND

Prisoners constitute one of the disadvantaged groups and it is observed that these individuals suffer from poor oral hygiene and the prevalence of oral diseases is higher compared to the general population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The aim of this study is to assess the state of the oral health in a prison population in Northern Portugal. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 103 male prisoners with age between 25 and 75 years old. A questionnaire was presented to all the prisoners and an intraoral clinical examination was performed in each of them.

RESULTS

The sample mean age was 41.58 ± 8.94 years. Most participants consume sugary foods, with 32% consuming then on a daily basis. It was noticed that 13.6% of the participants do not brush their teeth. Most of the prisoners smoke (78.6%) and 70 smoke more than 10 cigarettes per day. The mean DMFT was 17.17 ± 8.23 and the component with the highest weight was the number of missing teeth, with a mean value of 13.14 ± 8.32. It was observed that 7 individuals are edentulous and 64 (62.1%) have caries lesions. It has been noted that of the 64 individuals presenting caries lesions, 47 (73.4%) eat sugary foods, however this relationship is not statistically significant. It was found that the prevalence of periodontal health was 26%, gingivitis was 32.3% and periodontitis was 41.7%. Plaque Index was evaluated according to the periodontal condition, it was observed a significantly lower level of plaque index in the periodontally healthy subjects compared to the subjects with gingivitis and the subjects with periodontitis.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of oral diseases in this prison population is high, as is the loss of teeth. Dental caries is the most observed oral disease, and periodontitis the most common of the periodontal diseases. Key words:Prisoners, Oral health, Caries, DMFT, Periodontitis, Oral diseases.

Incarceration exposure and women's oral health experiences during pregnancy

RATIONALE

Prior research has documented an association between incarceration and poor oral health outcomes. Likewise, recent scholarship has also detailed that women exposed to incarceration either directly or vicariously through a partner during pregnancy incur worse health outcomes. However, no previous research has assessed the connection between incarceration exposure and oral health during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

The current study assesses the link between maternal incarceration exposure and oral health during pregnancy.

METHODS

Data are from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) from years 2016-2019 (N = 60,342). Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between incarceration and oral health.

RESULTS

Women exposed to incarceration exhibited worse oral health outcomes in the form of being more likely to report not knowing the importance of oral care, not having an oral health discussion with a provider, not getting a teeth cleaning, as well as being likely to report needing to see a dental provider, having visited a dental provider for a problem during pregnancy, and having more unmet dental care needs.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings add to a burgeoning literature that demonstrates a woman's prenatal exposure to incarceration poses risk for overall health and wellbeing. Given the influence of both incarceration exposure and oral health during pregnancy for maternal and infant health, the findings suggest that coordination between criminal justice, public health, and oral health experts can develop programmatic efforts that expand access to oral health care and improve oral health literacy among incarceration-exposed pregnant women.

Impact of oral comorbidities on incarcerated women: an integrative review

INTRODUCTION

Oral health care directly impacts the well-being of incarcerated women. It is related to the quality of life, social and economic discrepancies and lack of access to programs that offer free dental services and health promotion for this population.

OBJECTIVES

This work aimed to understand oral health challenges faced by women incarcerated in Brazil and worldwide.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The following databases were selected: EMBASE, (Virtual Health Library=LILACS+BDENF), Scielo, Scopus, Cochrane-Library and the PubMed search engine. These databases were searched until the closing date of October 2021 with no time limit for the searches. The key words used in the searches were "incarceration", "prison", "woman", and "oral health".

RESULTS

Caries, periodontal disease, tooth pain, and the use of dental prostheses were the most prevalent oral health conditions amongst incarcerated women in Brazil and worldwide. Regarding the level of scientific evidence, the included articles fit level III, according to Melnyk and Fineout.

DISCUSSION

Bearing in mind the limitations of the study, oral diseases in the global context showed that the quality of life related to oral and systemic health of women during and after incarceration was negatively affected. It is also essential for further clinical and follow-up studies to be carried out on incarcerated women that address their actual oral health needs.

A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Effects of Imprisonment Period on the Oral Health Status of Inmates in Ghaziabad, Delhi National Capital Region, India

Background: Incarcerated individuals usually exhibit high oral health needs than the average population. Several factors contribute to these needs both before incarceration and during the sentence itself. Inmates are a marginalized group, who are at a higher risk for a variety of medical, dental, and emotional disorders than the general population. The aim of the study was to assess of effects of the imprisonment period on the oral health status of inmates.

Material and Methods: A total of 532 inmates with imprisonment up to three years, three to six years, and six to ten years were included in the study. Incidence and prevalence of dental caries, decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) index, and periodontal and prosthetic status were evaluated in detail.

Results: Results showed that the prevalence of dental caries was relatively high among the convicts. It was found that 98.2% of the inmates had one or more teeth decayed. Additionally, 31.2% (pocket >4mm) of the inmates had poor periodontal status with 4.5% of the subjects having a loss of attachment score of 4-5mm or more. A total of 3.5% of the inmates had full dentures, either upper or lower arch. The relative need for full prosthesis was projected to be around 1.4% of the studied population.

Conclusion: Within the limitations of the study, the authors found that dental healthcare delivered and received by the inmates is much below the acceptable limit. Additionally, the incidence of dental caries in inmates was unexpectedly higher with tooth decay in 98.2% of subjects. Hence, the need of the hour is to critically incorporate and reinforce our efforts with a special focus on the risk factors of oral health.

Oral health among prisoners of District Jail, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India - A cross-sectional study

AIM

Prisoners are at risk from a range of health related problems, caused by a number of factors. This study was conducted to assess the impact of incarceration on oral health among the prisoners of Haridwar District Jail, Uttarakhand state.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A total of 573 inmates (534 males and 39 females) comprised the total study population. Oral health was examined with the Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (DMFT) index, and by measuring pocket depth (PD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL).

RESULTS

The age of the study participants ranged between 18 to 90 years with a mean age of 46.14 ± 15.29 years. The overall mean DMFT score was 5.40±6.49, with a prevalence of 77%. A significant difference (P=0.001) was found when the mean score of DMFT was compared to the period of incarceration, where the highest mean score was 6.97±7.69 for 5-10 years.

DISCUSSION

There was a significant difference found for DMFT among inmates based on a period of incarceration. Gender and period of incarceration had no significant impact on the severity of periodontal diseases among jail inmates. Longitudinal studies are required to find out the causal association between incarceration and oral health. Comprehensive and timely oral health care is required for this vulnerable population.

CONCLUSION

The level of oral disease among jail inmates was high. There was a significant difference for DMFT among inmates based on the period of incarceration.

Which factors are associated with the number of dental providers employed in correctional settings?

OBJECTIVES

Individuals experiencing incarceration are at increased risk of poor oral health. The purpose of this study was to identify state-level factors that influence the number of oral healthcare providers employed in US correctional settings.

METHODS

This ecological study utilized the National Survey of Prison Health Care (NSPHC) to identify the total number of dentists employed in US correctional facilities. Descriptive statistics were calculated and a linear regression was used to identify predictors of the total number of dentists employed in correctional settings by state.

RESULTS

The mean number of dentists and dental hygienists/assistants per 10,000 individuals experiencing incarceration was 9.33 ± 4.54 and 11.53 ± 7.02, respectively. The only significant contributor to dental employment was healthcare spending per individual experiencing incarceration (Coefficient = 0.96; p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings illustrate the need to develop novel methods of encouraging oral healthcare providers to join the correctional healthcare workforce.

Oral health status and oral health care use among formerly incarcerated people

BACKGROUND

Incarceration carries adverse consequences for health, yet there is limited research on the association between incarceration and oral health outcomes. The authors examined the relationship between former incarceration and 2 self-reported oral health outcomes-periodontal disease and oral health care use-and assessed the degree to which postrelease factors mediate the relationship between former incarceration and oral health outcomes.

METHODS

The authors analyzed nationally representative observational data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health by using multivariate logistic regression. Karlson-Holm-Breen mediation analysis was used to assess how much former incarceration and oral health outcomes are confounded by material hardship, health insurance coverage, and poor health behaviors.

RESULTS

Incarceration history is associated with periodontal disease (odds ratio [OR], 1.454; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.042 to 2.029) and oral health care use (OR, 1.433; 95% CI, 1.248 to 1.646) after control variables are taken into account. However, the confounding variables fully mediate the association between incarceration and periodontal disease (OR, 1.143; 95% CI, 0.815 to 1.605) and oral health care use (OR, 1.133; 95% CI, 0.980 to 1.309).

CONCLUSIONS

Formerly incarcerated people in the United States have worse oral health outcomes than their never-incarcerated counterparts, and much of this relationship can be explained by socioeconomic status and health behaviors.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Formerly incarcerated people have scarce resources and lack knowledge about oral health care. Health care professionals should encourage formerly incarcerated people to focus on oral health care. Because modifiable risk behaviors confound much of this relationship, targeted interventions may provide benefits for improving oral health care among this vulnerable population.

Erosive tooth wear and use of psychoactive substances among Finnish prisoners

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence and severity of erosive tooth wear (ETW) and its association with dental caries and the use of psychoactive substances among Finnish prisoners.

METHODS

One hundred voluntary prisoners (90.9%) from the Pelso Prison participated in this cross-sectional clinical study between September 2014 and February 2015. Fifty prisoners were also interviewed using the one-on-one interviewing technique for their background factors and use of psychoactive substances. Basic Erosive Index (BEWE) (0-18) was used to measure erosive tooth wear. Decayed (D), missing (M), filled (F) and the number of remaining teeth (T) and DMFT were reported. The association between the different variables was tested and analysed by using cross tabulation. To test the association between the variables a logistic regression analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

Almost all (90%) of the subjects had need for preventive and operative treatment for ETW. In addition, one in five (19%) suffered from severe erosive tooth wear. The use of psychoactive substances and pharmaceuticals is common, yet no association with ETW was found. Smoking and alcohol consumption were more common among younger prisoners than the older ones. There is an increased risk for ETW among older prisoners and major alcohol consumers. Past caries experience was associated with dental erosion.

CONCLUSIONS

Erosive tooth wear is common among Finnish prisoners in their thirties. ETW is associated with dental caries and daily alcohol consumption.

Oral health and oral health-related habits of Finnish prisoners

Objectives/Aims:

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine oral health and oral health-related habits among prisoners at the Pelso Prison in Finland.

Materials and Methods:

Participants in this cross-sectional study comprises 100 inmates. A calibrated dentist recorded the decayed, filled and missed teeth as well as periodontal status (bleeding-on-probing, pocket probing and Community Periodontal Index) among the participants (n=100). Fifty inmates were also interviewed for marital status, education and oral health-related habits. The Ethical Committee of the Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District and the Criminal Sanctions Agency approved the study protocol.

Results:

The participants were on average 35 years old and had 5 (s.d. 5.1) decayed teeth in need of restorative treatment, whereas DMFT was 17 (s.d. 8.9). Half of the study population had periodontal disease in need of professional treatment. Almost all reported brushing their teeth daily. Two-third ate sweets, one-third drank fizzy drinks and majority smoked every day. Almost two-third had used illicit drugs at some point of their lives. Almost all drunk alcohol once a week or more often. No statistically significant associations were discovered between dental treatment need and explanatory factors.

Discussion

Prisoners appear to be a homogenous group with poor oral health and harmful health behaviours.

Prevalence of Periodontal Disease in the General Population of India-A Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease resulting in destruction of tissues and structures surrounding the teeth thus, if left untreated causes loss of teeth and ultimately results in edentulism, posing a great negative impact on individuals' quality of life. Hence the global epidemiological data suggests periodontal disease to be one of a major burden on oral diseases. To reduce this burden it is necessary to know the true prevalence of the disease according to which proper initiatives can be formulated. India being home to nearly 1.2 billion people and one amongst the rapidly developing country, its population requires being systemically as well as orally healthy to lead a good quality of life. However due to large heterogenecity amongst its residing population in terms of geographical area, culture, education, socioeconomic status, a variety of oral diseases like periodontal diseases are prevalent here. Even though the early studies suggested that the population is highly susceptible to the disease, the true prevalence of periodontal disease has not been found yet due to paucity in literature available.

AIM

To systematically review the available literature taken from various parts of India and find the prevalence rate of periodontal disease amongst the general population of India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A literature search was performed using PUB MED, COCHRANE and EMBASE databases on August 6, 2015. Following full text assessment a thorough references search was made and potential studies were included. A Quality assessment of retrieved articles from 2(nd) round was done using a self designed questionnaire and only field survey studies were included in the systematic review.

RESULTS

The literature search yielded six studies which had performed field surveys to find the prevalence of periodontal disease in their respective areas. These studies have observed different sets of age groups and the same has been accomplished by using Community Periodontal Index (CPI) or Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN). It was also found that no prevalence studies have been carried out in few North and North Eastern states and Union Territories of India.

CONCLUSION

Due to non-availability of same age groups in selected studies an overall prevalence rate could not be obtained. However, it was observed that few areas of states like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Assam have reported a prevalence rate of periodontal disease of more than 85% in their general population. The data from the present systematic review calls for a combined initiative from the Government of India and Dental council of India to have a nationwide multicentric prevalence studies to obtain the true prevalence rate of periodontal disease in India and interventions should be provided for the same to maintain the oral health and quality of life of the affected population.

The health of female prisoners in Indonesia

Purpose

– Indonesian law provides prisoners with basic rights, including access to education, health care and nutrition. Yet, structural and institutional limitations, notably overcrowding and under-resourcing, prohibits penal institutions from fulfilling these commitments for female prisoners. The purpose of this paper is to explore their health concerns.

Design/methodology/approach

– Six prisons and one detention centre were researched, comprising: female prisoners (n=69); clinical officers (six); clinic heads (seven); wardens (seven); heads of prisons (seven); and a Directorate representative. Data were collected through observation, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and a semi-structured questionnaire. Raw data were transcribed and analysed thematically, adopting the General Principles of Grounded Theory.

Findings

– Both “formal” and “informal” health-coping strategies were dependent upon a range of factors which determined access to treatment, medicines and other items procured both inside and outside of the prison, as well as referral services. Informal systems of support existed for women, especially in regard to pregnancy and raising of babies born in detention. Systems that maintain harmony within cell blocks were identified as an important informal coping strategy.

Originality/value

– This research is important in informing policy and practice. There is a clear need for gender-sensitive legislative frameworks, penal policies and prison rules to ensure women's needs are addressed. The identified coping strategies were considered viable, but do not replace the need for a health system providing women prisoners with levels of care as available in the community, including commensurate budgeting, personnel, access and referral to more specialised external health services.

Dental caries experience and use of dental services among Brazilian prisoners

This ross-sectional study involving 127 male prisoners evaluates the use of dental services and dental caries among Brazilian inmates. Data were collected by interview and clinical examination. Sociodemographic and sentencing information as well as use of dental services, self-reported dental morbidity, self-perception, and oral health impacts were investigated. The mean DMFT index value was 19.72. Of the components, the decayed component showed the highest mean value (11.06 ± 5.37). Statistically significant association was found between DMFTs with values from 22 to 32 and oral health satisfaction (p = 0.002), difficulty speaking (p = 0.024), shame of talking (p = 0.004) and smiling (p < 0.001). Regarding the use of dental services, 80% had their last dental appointment less than one year ago, with most visits occurring in prison (80%), with restorative treatment (32%), followed by dental pain (26.4%), being the main reasons for such appointments. Most prisoners used dental services provided by the prison. Although restorative treatment has been the main reason for the use of dental services, “decayed” and “missing” components contributed to the high mean DMFT index.

Oral health status of a sample of prisoners in enugu: a disadvantaged population

Background:

The aim of this study is to determine the oral health status of a sample of prisoners at the Federal Prison in Enugu. The health status of inmates in the prison system needs to be incorporated into data and reports that summarize the state of the nation's health; this will encourage the provision of health care to prisoners and foster development of the nation's health.

Subjects and Methods:

The study involved 230 inmates of the Federal Prison in Enugu. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to gather data on the demographic characteristics of the participants, social habits, methods and frequency of cleaning the mouth. Intraoral examination was carried out to determine caries and periodontal statuses employing decayed missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index and community periodontal index of treatment needs respectively. The proportions of participants with other soft and hard tissue conditions were also recorded. Frequency distribution tables with mean values were generated for categorical variables and non-parametric test was used to relate DMFT values with frequency of cleaning the mouth.

Results:

Among the participants, 67.0% (154/230) had decayed teeth or tooth missing due to caries. None of the decayed teeth was restored yielding a 0.0% (0/230) index of restorative provision. Spearman correlation (rho) between ranks of DMFT and frequency of cleaning the mouth was -0.32 (95%CI=-0.43 to -0.19). 5.2% (12/230) participants had community periodontal index (CPI) score of 0 and 94.8% (218/230) had CPI of 1, 2, 3 or 4. Also, 56.1% (129/230) had extrinsic stains on their teeth and 17.3% (40/230) presented with fractured teeth.

Conclusion:

More than half of the participants were affected by dental caries and periodontal health was compromised in the majority of them. Measures to improve their oral health and the establishment of dental health-care facility in the institution are strongly encouraged.

Locked mouths: Tooth loss in a women's prison in northeastern Brazil

Background. Prisoners, in general, exhibit unsatisfactory oral conditions, especially with regard to the large number of missing teeth and with untreated caries. The aim of this study was to assess tooth loss, use of and need for prosthetic rehabilitation, and use of dental services among inmates. A cross-sectional study involving 65 inmates was developed at the Regional Women's Prison of Campina Grande, Brazil. Data regarding sociodemographic and sentencing profile, use of dental services, dental morbidity, and self-perceived oral health impacts were investigated. Chi-square, Pearson, and Kruskal-Wallis (P < 0.05) statistical tests were used. The mean tooth loss was 11.3 teeth. Significant association between tooth loss and oral health satisfaction (P = 0.049), self-perceived need for dental prosthesis (P < 0.001), uncomfortable teeth brushing (P = 0.005), difficult speaking (P = 0.002), and difficulty in performing routine tasks (P = 0.025) was observed. It was observed that 29.2% of inmates were using some type of prosthesis, all deemed unsuitable for use, and 78.5% of inmates needed prosthetic rehabilitation. The oral health condition of the population studied was found to be poor, and prisoners showed significant tooth loss and need for dentures, with the aggravation of having tooth extraction as the major reason for seeking dental care.

Assessment of periodontal health status among prison inmates: A cross-sectional survey

Background:

The prison population is a challenging one with many health problems, including oral health. In a country like India the information regarding the status of periodontal health in prisoners is scant.

Aim:

To assess the periodontal status of the jail inmates at Mangalore District Jail.

Materials and Methods:

Cross sectional survey Participants: A Randomly selected sample of 82 male inmates of age group 18-60 years were examined using community periodontal index (CPI) and loss of attachment from modified WHO oral health assessment proforma (1997).

Results:

The prevalence of periodontal disease was 97.5%. Majority of the study population had CPI score of 2 and 1. Majority of the prisoners were severely affected with loss of attachment with 35% had loss of attachment more than 3 mm.

Conclusion:

As there are no oral health care facilities available in the prison set up, this study emphasizes the need for special attention from government and voluntary organizations to provide the oral health care services to inmates and improve the overall health status of the prisoners.

Oral health inequalities: a call for action to improve oral health in India

OBJECTIVE

To gain insight and learning on the perceived issues and challenges facing dentists within India and to provide guidance on how the wider Indian Diaspora may be able to help solve them.

METHODS

A pilot-tested online survey, containing both quantitative and qualitative questions, was administered amongst dentists practising in India.

RESULTS

A total of 1,194 dentists completed the 'Indian Oral Health Survey'. The results highlighted that a significant number of individuals perceived the current state of oral health in India as 'somewhat bad' (44%) while also emphasising the pressing need for government initiatives to improve these standards (78%). Some of the key challenges that need to be addressed in the next 5 years are gum disease (19%), dental caries (18%), oral health awareness (17%) and the increasing rates of oral cancer (16%). This survey also revealed that there is a need to review and change the current state of dental education in India. Furthermore, dentists practising in India would like their Indian counterparts living overseas to give back to their country of origin via mentoring programmes (23%), support initiatives in India both through monetary support (17%) and working for charity, as well as by sharing their skills, expertise and experiences.

CONCLUSION

There is currently a desperate need to improve oral health in India, especially among the underprivileged populations. The survey also revealed that the current dental education system is in need of revision and young dentists in India would like to be mentored by their counterparts overseas.

Assessment of dental prosthetic status and needs among prisoners of haryana, India

This cross-sectional study was planned to evaluate the prosthetic status and treatment needs using WHO (1997) format among prisoners of Haryana state, India. 1,393 subjects with age range of 35.26 ± 12.29 years were examined. Of the study subjects, 11 (0.8 %) were completely while 606 (43.5 %) were partially edentulous. Of these 617 subjects, 305 (49.4 %) were edentulous only in posterior region. Dental caries accounted for loss of teeth in 325 (52.7 %) subjects. 44 (7.1 %) subjects were wearing some prosthesis. Regarding dental arch wise prosthetic need, 335 (54.3 %) subjects needed prosthesis in maxillary arch while 482 (78.1 %) needed prosthesis in mandibular arch. With advancing age there was an increase in the number of complete dental prosthesis required. There was no statistically significant difference between length of imprisonment and prosthetic need, except for need of a combination of prosthesis. Only one-fourth of the prisons had a dentist. The prisoners were taken to a hospital outside the prison in case of health needs. Prosthetic needs of prisoners were high. The lack of dental infrastructure in prisons makes the provision for multi-visit conservative dental treatments very difficult leading to higher tooth mortality. People who migrate back and forth across the prisons and communities represent a public health opportunity that should be addressed.