DefinePK

Abstract

Introduction: Oral health issues are prevalent among individuals with schizophrenia, with teeth becoming incorporated into delusions and hallucinations. Factors like self-mutilation behaviours and somatic delusions about oral pain can lead to unnecessary dental treatments. Poor oral hygiene is common among those with schizophrenia, exacerbated by factors like dry mouth, a side effect of many psychotropic medications.
Aims & Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess and compare the oral hygiene and dental caries status in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and the general population in Lucknow city & to assess the prevalence and severity of dental caries in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia in comparison to the general population.
Materials & Methods: A Cross-sectional study was done to compare oral hygiene and dental caries between schizophrenia patients and the general population attending a dental college outpatient department in Lucknow city. 50 participants each of Schizophrenia patients and general population attending dental college OPD were recruited as the sample. Ethical permission to conduct the study was obtained from Institutional Ethical Committee. The data tabulated in Microsoft Office Excel 2010 were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences or SPSS software (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22.0, Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. Released 2013).
Result: The findings revealed that the schizophrenia patient group exhibited higher scores in oral hygiene indices compared to the general patient group. The Debris Index Simplified (DIS), Calculus Index Simplified (CIS), and Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHIS) were all significantly elevated in the schizophrenia population, indicating poorer oral hygiene practices.
Conclusion: Higher DI-S, CI-S, OHI-S, and DMFT in schizophrenia patients were observed as compared to the general population.