Periodontal Health Status And Periodontal Treatment Needs Of Prisoners In Two Jails In Khartoum State

Background: Prisoner is a person who is deprived of his/her freedom; even though they are deprived of their freedom they are not deprived of their right to maintain good general and oral health. Limited studies have been conducted among prisoners. Therefore the present study aimed to assess the periodontal health status and treatment needs of prisoners in two jails in Khartoum state. Methodology: A total of 389 prisoners were selected from two different prisons in Khartoum State. A pro-forma was used to obtain data regarding socio-demographic characteristics, duration of stay in prison, and oral hygiene habits. The W.H.O. Oral Health Assessment Form (1997) was used to assess the oral health status of the study subjects. Results: 237 of prisoners were males and 152 were females in the age group of 17-65 years. 35.9% of prisoners were imprisoned for less than 6 months. The majority of the prisoners were illiterate (37.3%). The highest number of individuals (52.7%) was classified as CPITN of which implies that they need oral hygiene instruction, 33.7% score CPTN of 2, while only 2.6% of the prisoners scored a CPITN of 4 and they need scaling and surgical periodontal treatment. Conclusion: There is an observant need of oral health care programmes as the standard of periodontal health observed among prisoners is low, and ultimately the respondents will be returning to the community