Oral health in psychiatric adults in Argentina.

This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed at neuropsychiatric institutions in Buenos Aires Province. A randomized sample was selected of 384 20- to 65-year-old adults: 56 with mental disorders and undergoing a process of deinstitutionalization (DG), 220 institutionalized (IG) and 108 ambulatory adults with no diagnosis of mental disorder considered as the control group (CG). Inclusion criterion was receiving oral healthcare at the same dentistry facility. To estimate the endogenous variable (oral health) we used DMFT Löe y Silness plaque index and gingival index (PI - GI). Diagnosed mental conditions were classified according to DSM IV criteria. Mean DMFT was 18.75 +/- 6.19 for DG and 19.67 +/- 8.24 for IG. The difference between groups DG and IG was not significant (P = 0.7818). For CG the value was 14.54 +/- 5.96. The correlation analysis between DMFT and age showed significant association and the values were: DG r = 0.4423, IG r = 0.5056 and CG r = 0.3372. Missing teeth account for 80% in DG 81.12% in IG and 48.76% in CG. Mean PI-GI values were 1.66 +/- 0.72, 1.12 +/- 0.52 in GD; 2.13 +/- 0.55, 1.76 +/- 0.47 in IG and 1.51 +/- 0.52, 1.02 +/- 0.38 in CG. The discrepancy between IP means for DG and IG were not significant (P > 0.05), whereas the GI values for both groups differed significantly at 5% (P < 0.05). Data analysis describes the loss of teeth as a residual consequence of oral disease, and the need to include rehabilitation in a healthcare model for the deinstitutionalization process in psychiatric adults.