Dental health of prisoners in the north west of England in 2000: literature review and dental health survey results.

BACKGROUND

A caries prevalence study of prisoners in the North West of England was conducted to allow comparisons with results of the 1998 United Kingdom Adult Dental Health Survey.

METHOD: A random sample of prisoners in the North West of England was interviewed and examined using the same criteria as the 1998 United Kingdom Adult Dental Health Survey.

RESULTS

From a random sample of 316 prisoners, 279 (88%) were interviewed and 272 (86%) received a dental examination. Prisoners enter prison with twice as many decayed teeth (mean 4.2) than found in the general population in the North West of England (mean 1.9). Prisoners also have fewer restored teeth. There was little difference between the mean DMFT of adult male prisoners and young offender male prisoners. There was little difference in the mean DMFT of those in prison for more or less than two years.

CONCLUSIONS

Prisoners in the North West of England had more decayed or unsound teeth, and fewer restored teeth than both non-institutionalised adults in the North West of England and social classes IV and V in England. Attempts to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Prison Dental Service in the North West of England may render the prison population dentally fit more speedily.