Oral health issues in recovering drug addicts

Abstract

Drug trends in Hong Kong have revealed a hidden problem of drug addiction as the number of newly reported drug users increase1. Methamphetamine has become the most abused psychotropic drug1. Oral health problems caused by different types of illicit drugs had been well reported in the literature. This study aims at investigating the oral health needs of recovering drug addicts and providing outreach services to recovering addicts living in residential facilities. The sampling population was recruited from three drug rehabilitation centres. Questionnaires were distributed to the 51 participants to collect data on oral health problems, attitudes, knowledge, demographics and drug use history of participants. Detailed oral examination to collect information on the caries experience (using DMFS), periodontal condition (using Community Periodontal Index) and oral hygiene condition (using Visible Plaque Index) were done. Basic treatments like Scaling, Fluoride Application, Atraumatic Restorative Treatment and Extractions were performed. The correlation between dental caries experience, periodontal condition and oral hygiene level, and the demographics and drug use history of the participants was investigated. Using the SPSS, the above correlation was analysed with Chi-Square test, Independent T-test and Spearman’s Correlation. Participants aged 30 or more had higher DMFS and percentage of sites with visible plaque than those aged 30 or less (p < 0.001). Participants with below secondary education level are associated with deeper periodontal pockets (p = 0.004). For drug use history, participants who had abused drugs more than 5 years and once or more per day had higher mean DMFS (p = 0.008 and p = 0.019 respectively). Higher percentage of sites on visible plaque was found on participants who had quit drugs for less than a year (p = 0.004). The oral health knowledge of participants was generally inadequate especially regarding periodontal diseases. In conclusion, recovering drug addicts are more affected by caries (DMFT = 7.7) and worse periodontal health (54.0% with 3.5mm or deeper pockets) when compared with the general population. It is suggested that more oral health seminars be given to patients in recovery to raise their dental awareness, and that through this study dental practitioners can gain insight into the oral conditions of these group of patients to provide adequate care for them in the future.