People with alcohol abuse problems have a higher incidence of periodontal disease, caries and potentially precancerous oral lesions, said researchers March 12 at the American Association for Dental Research meeting.
As part of a study, 24 men and 10 women who were inpatients at a rehabilitation center for alcohol abuse provided information on their dental hygiene habits and lifestyle behaviors and underwent a dental examination. Oral health was assessed based on the presence of plaque; periodontal inflammation; decayed, missing and filled tooth index; number of teeth showing enamel loss; and an examination of the tongue, cheeks and palate for oral lesions.
In all, 85 percent of the study group rated the condition of their teeth and mouths as "fair" or "poor." Eighty-two percent had moderate-to-severe gingival inflammation, and more than two-thirds had a heavy accumulation of dental plaque.
Fifteen percent of the subjects had missing teeth, with 41 percent of the remaining teeth showing signs of enamel erosion. In addition, 79 percent of those studied had at least one carious tooth, with an average of 3.2 carious teeth per subject, while more than one-third had potentially precancerous oral lesions. This incidence rate was higher than in the general population, the researchers said.
"This pilot study shows these members of society are in great need of interventions to help them protect their oral health," said study co-author Dr. Sebastian Ciancio, chair of the Department of Periodontics and Endodontics at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine.
"In light of the growing body of evidence showing a significant link between oral health and other serious chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, periodontal disease in this population represents a substantial public-health problem," said Dr. Ciancio.
Based on these findings, researchers are planning to conduct a larger study of oral health among people with alcohol abuse problems to develop rational measures for preventing oral disease this population.
