Oral Health Status and Treatment Needs of Police Personnel in Karachi

Abstract

Background: Oral health is an integral part of general health. Loss of teeth reduces the quality of life. Periodontal diseases constitute the major cause of tooth extraction in adults. A high prevalence of periodontal diseases among adults with considerable disparities between populations has been reported. Many studies have been reported in the literature depicting the periodontal status and treatment needs of different populations. This study aimed to assess the oral health status and treatment needs of police personnel in Sindh Police, Pakistan.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 174 police personnel from the Special Security Unit (SSU) of Sindh Police in Karachi were examined clinically and evaluated using the WHO 2013 Oral Health Assessment Form. Consent was obtained from the concerned authorities.

Results: -The study showed that 43.1% (n=75) periodontal status as healthy, 35% (n=61) reported gingivitis and periodontitis and 21.8% (n=38) reported moderate to severe periodontitis. The significant difference found in the periodontal health among males (X2=71.18, P<0.001) and females (X2=9.90, P<0.009). More than 83.3% were suffering from Dental caries. The majority of the examined participants needed prompt treatment which included scaling and tooth restorations.

Conclusion: Periodontal and oral health status among the police personnel was noted to be most compromised and there is an immense need to conduct oral health awareness sessions as a mandatory part not only in their training period but should be employed in their daily routine.