Dental treatment needs and treatment frequency of inmates in Basel

The aim of this retrospective descriptive study was to identify the treatment frequency of prisoners and the associated need for dental treatment, as well as to analyse the associations between the DMFT index, general health conditions (mental health) and health behaviour (cigarette smoking). For this purpose, the medical records (secondary data) from 2018-2020 of 317 inmates receiving dental treatment from two Basel prisons were examined, categorized and statistically evaluated using linear regression models (RECORD 1.1, 1.2). At the time of the medical history, 87.1% of the inmates were taking at least one medication, 47.9% of them psychotropic drugs and 52.7% analgesics. 5.5% had a hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Opioid use correlated with HCV infection: 24.5% of opioid users (m/f) were also HCV+. Teeth had to be removed in 58.7% of inmates. The DMFT index was 1.85 times higher in smokers than in non-smokers. With each pack of cigarettes per day, the DMFT index increased 1.44-fold. The DMFT index in prisoners with mental illness was 1.5 times higher. Possible approaches to improve general and dental health include drug prevention, withdrawal therapy, sports promotion, dental health education and the provision of oral hygiene products. It is recommended that further studies be conducted with comprehensive examinations of inmates.