Abstract
Author(s): Mojtaba Mehrabanian, Ulduz Zamani Ahari, Amirhossein Fathi and Mehri Movahedi Parizi*Background and aim: Schizophrenia is a form of psychiatric disorder that has been shown to have negative consequences for patients' dental health. This study aimed to assess the dental health of schizophrenia patients in Iran as a case study.
Materials and methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 76 patients (including 38 hospitalized schizophrenics and 38 healthy individuals). For this study, after obtaining demographic information, the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index and its related components, including D, M, and F in both study groups, were examined. The mean DMFT between patient and healthy groups was compared with SPSS-Ver. 21. The relationship between the mean of each demographic variable and the mean DMFT in schizophrenic patients was analyzed by relevant statistical tests.
Results: The results showed that the mean DMFT in patients with schizophrenia was significantly higher than in the healthy group. The mean DMFT, D, M, and F index in patients with schizophrenia were 18.59 ± 6.75, 6.52 ± 3.32, 9.95 ± 7.21, and 2.12 ± 1.1, respectively. Each variable of age, smoking rate, smoking history, length of hospital stay, and mean "negative symptom scores" had a significant relationship with the mean DMFT. In contrast, this relationship was not meaningful for the variables of "positive symptom scores" and patient gender.
Conclusion: Based on the present study results, it can be concluded that the health status of schizophrenia patients in the study population is unfavorable. Therefore, considering the sensitive conditions of this type of patient in terms of caring for the health status of their teeth, it is necessary to take basic measures to improve the dental health status of this type of patient.