Self-assessment of dental health among Danish noninstitutionalized psychiatric patients

This survey provides a description of the living conditions, dental health self-assessment, dental health behavior, and knowledge and attitudes to dental care in a population of noninstitutionalized psychiatric patients. A total of 84 individuals (70% of the persons selected) were interviewed using a pretested structured questionnaire. One of five participants did not perform oral hygiene as a daily routine and 45% had no regular dental visit habits. A proportion of about 40% reported symptoms from teeth or gingiva within the previous year. Despite an acceptable level of general knowledge on caries and periodontal problems, only a small proportion were aware of the caries-inducing potential of psychotropic drugs. People with more than five admissions to the psychiatric ward more often reported symptoms from teeth and gingiva; irregular dental visit habits were also related to number of admissions and to manic-depression. The survey indicates poor oral health among psychiatric patients compared with the general population and the need for specific oral care programs leveled at noninstitutionalized psychiatric patients is stressed.