Dental and oral health status in drug abusers in Chennai, India: A cross-sectional study

Aim: To ascertain the oral health status and dental health status of drug abusers (DA) and compare them with those of non-drug-abusing dental patients. Design: Hospital-based cross-sectional study. Setting and Participants: Hundred consecutive male DA attending rehabilitation center for drug abuse and age-matched 100 non-drug abusers attending the outpatient department of a dental college hospital. Measurements: Detailed history and clinical findings were recorded in a predetermined format by trained physician and dental surgeons. Data entry and statistical analysis were done using SPSS 10.0.5® Variables: Oral mucosal lesions (OML), dental lesions (DL), 'decay, missing, filling teeth' index (DMFT), brushing material (toothpaste/others), mode (toothbrush/others), and frequency per day (once/twice). Results: The occurrence of at least one oral mucosal lesion was 49% in drug abusers and 6% in controls, the difference being statistically significant ( P = 0.00). In brushing habits, DL were significantly associated with brushing material ( P = 0.005) and frequency ( P = 0.001) when a comparison was made between DA and controls. The difference of