Assessment of oral health status and treatment needs in hemodialysis patients at Raichur district, Karnataka, India

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization (WHO) global burden of disease project, chronic kidney disease is the 12th leading cause of death and 17th leading cause of disability in the world. Statistics show that 90% of the patients suffering from chronic renal failure face oral health-related problems. The objective of the study was to assess the oral health status and treatment needs in hemodialysis patients at Raichur district, Karnataka. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 110 patients undergoing hemodialysis at Raichur district, Karnataka. Oral health status was assessed using the WHO assessment form 1997. Oral Hygiene Index – Simplified (1964) was used to assess the Oral Hygiene Status. Results: The mean age of the patients was 43.99 ± 12.80 years and the mean Decayed Teeth, Missing Teeth, Filled Teeth (FT), and Decayed Missing FT was 2.53 ± 2.39, 4.39 ± 7.57, 0.08 ± 0.30, and 7.00 ± 7.01, respectively. The prevalence of dental caries was 94.5%. Calculus was seen in 60.9% of the patients. Oral hygiene status was poor in 49.5% of the patients. The mean number of teeth required treatment was 4.4. Conclusion: This special population has high prevalence of dental caries and poor oral hygiene which needed periodic health education and intervention.