Periodontal health status, dental caries experience, oral hygiene practices and treatment needs of geriatric tribal population

This pilot project aims to evaluate the oral health condition of Jharkhand's elderly tribal population, which is located in eastern India. There were 200 participants in this descriptive cross-sectional pilot research, 89 of whom were men and 111 of whom were women. The majority of the people in the study group were jobless. Periodontal health, dental cavities and the presence or absence of prostheses were evaluated. The study's findings indicated that older adults (those over 85) had a higher prevalence of periodontal diseases and a greater demand for prostheses. The DMF index revealed that those over 85 years old had a greater frequency of missing teeth and cavitation in the 75-85 age range. The prevalence of oral diseases is quite high among Jharkhand's tribal people. It is concerning that tobacco use is so common. Therefore, to enhance this population's oral health, sufficient education, motivation and training in oral hygiene must be provided.