Oral Health Status and Treatment Needs of Gunj Marketing Yard Laborers of Raichur City, Karnataka.

BACKGROUND: Oral health is a vital part of general health and is a valuable asset of every individual. The working population in India usually belong to the lower socioeconomic group.

AIM: This study was conducted to assess the oral health status and treatment needs of Gunj marketing yard laborers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted among 550 laborers of Gunj marketing yard of Raichur city. A specially designed questionnaire was used to assess the demographic variables and oral hygiene practices. Oral health status was assessed using the WHO assessment form 1997. Simplified oral hygiene index (1964) was used to assess the oral hygiene status.

RESULTS: The mean age of the study participants was 35.1 (± 8.02) years and the mean decayed teeth, missing teeth, filled teeth, and decayed, missing, filled teeth was 2.06 (± 1.49), 0.76 (± 2.53), 0.13 (± 0.39), and 2.95 (± 3.02), respectively. The prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease was 85.7% and 93.5%, respectively. The oral hygiene status was poor in 45.9% of the study participants.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates poor oral hygiene and high prevalence of periodontal diseases and dental caries as well as a large proportion of unmet dental needs among these laborers.