Oral health in the population held at the third district house of rebibbia

BACKGROUND: The Third District House is a weakened custodial institution that houses drug addicts who want to participate in a recovery and rehabilitation program. The aim of the study is to evaluate the state of oral health of prisoners and the impact it has on the quality of life, bearing in mind that the problems related to the oral cavity are the most frequent among those associated with drug abuse. METHODS: Three different questionnaires were used, administered in a face to face interview mode: EGOHID II - Full Standard Clinical Survey From 2007, which collects clinical data such as CPI and DMFT; Questionnaire OHIP-14, which assesses the quality of life in relation to oral health and the EGOHID Adult Questionnaire which collects data on various habits and lifestyles. RESULTS: The survey was attended by 29 of the 32 prisoners present, with a compliance of 91%. The age of the participants ranges from 23 to 62 years, with an average age of 42.9 years. The population examined results to have a lower level of education and disadvantaged socio-economic conditions compared to the free Italian population. Furthermore, the survey showed that almost all the participants use tobacco; that 10 out of 29 prisoners are infected with Hepatitis C and 4 of them also have co-morbidities with HIV. The high incidence of these diseases is linked to substance abuse that involves 100% of the population, in which cocaine is the most widely used substance. Regarding the clinical data, the DMFT results to be equal to 15, of which the component of the decayed teeth is 5.1; that of the treated teeth 2.6 and that of the missing teeth 7.3. The latter value is probably linked to the lack of prosthetic rehabilitation services for prisoners. The CPI (Community Periodontal Index) shows that only 14% of subjects enjoyed periodontal health, while 19% had bleeding at the survey and 25% were detected periodontal pockets with depths greater than 6 mm. Although we have found negative oral health conditions, it seems that they have a low perception of the problems related to their oral cavity, not feeling any particular discomforts associated with them. CONCL USION S: The investigation showed that the oral health of prisoners is precarious and oral hygiene is very poor. In this regard, it would be advisable to promote a prevention program in the prison context and a course of oral health education aimed at improving the care of oral hygiene and consequently preventing the diseases related to it. To this end, it might be useful to disseminate brochures from the various instructions for proper home hygiene and to distribute eligible devices in the interproximal oral hygiene penitentiary institutions. This preventive program would reduce the incidence of diseases, thereby decreasing the therapeutic interventions for their care and consequently their health care costs. Furthermore, it would increase the detainee’s confidence and self-esteem, thus fostering the possibility of reintegration in an easier way within society