Related Experiment Videos
Dental caries in homeless adults in Boston
1NIDR/EODPP/ASHAB, Bethesda, MD 20892-6401, USA.
Objectives:
Information about the oral health status of the homeless is limited. The purpose of this study is to characterize the dental caries status among users of a dental treatment and referral program at homeless shelters in Boston, MA.
Methods:
Persons attending the program during a one-year period were assessed for evidence of dental caries experience by a single examiner. DMFT counts were abstracted from patient records.
Results:
The population examined (n = 73) was 66 percent male with a mean age of 36 years. The racial composition was 51 percent African-American, 34 percent Caucasian, and 14 percent Hispanic. The 70 dentate people examined had a mean DFT of 11.1 (SD = 6.1). The mean percent of DFT that was DT per person was 55.7 percent. Untreated caries was detected in 91.4 percent of those examined.
Conclusions:
These findings show evidence of previous dental services utilization by these homeless individuals, but demonstrate a high need for preventive and restorative dental therapy.