Abstract

There has been increasing incidence of addiction to certain illicit drugs amongst people belonging to various strata of society, particularly among young people in Bangladesh, as well as in western countries. Drug abuse results in several direct consequences including multiple physical and mental problems such as cardiac crisis, respiratory depression, liver cirrhosis, nephropathy, infectious diseases such as hepatitis, AIDS, and tuberculosis, injury-associated disability, mental disorders such as depression, and oral health problems. This is the first published study of illicit drugs abusers’ health related data in Bangladesh. The present study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of oro-dental diseases and explore attitudes towards oral hygiene practices among a group of illicit drug abusers so that required interventions can be planned for the good health of those who are in addicts with illicit drugs in this region. This study was comprised of 120 drug addicts admitted in a drug rehabilitation centre in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Most of the participants were involved in abuse of more than one drug and the most abused drugs were heroin, cannabis and methamphetamine. Oral hygiene practices of the drug users were alarming where 78% clean their teeth in wrong way and 23% clean their teeth in right way that is two times daily but 74% of them never used any mouth washes. On the other hand 92% respondents didn’t use any dental floss to maintain oral hygiene properly. The schedule of dental check-up was also poor, only 37% respondents visited a dentist once in a year. Ignorance about oral health, money-fear and money-bad experience are the obstacles for the respondents to visiting a dentist. Presence of carious teeth was seen in all persons, while bleeding gum, shallow pockets and deep pockets were found in 42%, 44% and 12% of drug users, respectively as in CPI index. Symptoms of xerostomia and methmouth were found in 18% and 8%, respectively. Premalignant states of leukoplakia were diagnosed in 8% of drug users. Chi squared test was applied wherever applicable. Significant relationship with oral health condition (at the level of significance at p.