Untreated dental caries complications, oral health-related quality of life, and dental service utilization among inmates in Southern Thailand.

BACKGROUND

Inmates are recognized as a vulnerable population with limited access to healthcare and generally poorer oral health than the wider community, warranting focused investigation. This study, conducted at Takuapa District Prison, Thailand, aimed to assess oral health status and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among inmates and to examine factors associated with dental service utilization.

METHODS

A total of 535 inmates underwent oral examinations and completed questionnaires, and descriptive statistics were used for this entire sample. Subsequently, logistic regression analysis was performed only on the 418 inmates who also completed the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP) index.

RESULTS

Dental caries was present in 94.6% of inmates, with a mean DMFT score of 10.05 ± 7.23. Untreated caries affected 90.5% of participants (mean DT = 6.22 ± 5.50), while 58.9% presented with complications of untreated caries, with a mean PUFA score of 2.41 ± 3.61. Five inmates were edentulous, and among dentate inmates, 63.6% had periodontitis (CPI scores 3-4). Overall, 50.7% of inmates reported impaired OHRQoL, as assessed using the OIDP index, which was significantly associated with complications of untreated caries (PUFA). In addition, 48.6% of inmates reported access to dental services, which was also significantly associated with impaired OHRQoL.

CONCLUSION

Inmates exhibit a high burden of untreated dental caries and periodontitis, which, along with limited healthcare access, significantly impairs their oral health-related quality of life. Implementing targeted oral health services and preventive programs within prisons is urgently needed to improve their well-being.