Aim:

Prisoners are at risk from a range of health related problems, caused by a number of factors. This study was conducted to assess the impact of incarceration on oral health among the prisoners of Haridwar District Jail, Uttarakhand state.

Material and method:

A total of 573 inmates (534 males and 39 females) comprised the total study population. Oral health was examined with the Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (DMFT) index, and by measuring pocket depth (PD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL).

Results:

The age of the study participants ranged between 18 to 90 years with a mean age of 46.14 ± 15.29 years. The overall mean DMFT score was 5.40±6.49, with a prevalence of 77%. A significant difference (P=0.001) was found when the mean score of DMFT was compared to the period of incarceration, where the highest mean score was 6.97±7.69 for 5-10 years.

Discussion:

There was a significant difference found for DMFT among inmates based on a period of incarceration. Gender and period of incarceration had no significant impact on the severity of periodontal diseases among jail inmates. Longitudinal studies are required to find out the causal association between incarceration and oral health. Comprehensive and timely oral health care is required for this vulnerable population.

Conclusion:

The level of oral disease among jail inmates was high. There was a significant difference for DMFT among inmates based on the period of incarceration.

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