Oral Health Status and Oral Health Risks Among Tribes in Tamil Nadu, India: An Epidemiological Study

Abstract

Aim To evaluate the oral health status, self-assessment of oral health, and oral health risks among tribes in Tamil Nadu, India. Materials and methods An epidemiological cross-sectional study was carried out among 880 tribals comprising Irulars and Narikuravars. A multistage random sampling method was carried out to select villages from the Vellore district, Tamil Nadu. A World Health Organization (WHO) oral health assessment form, self-oral health assessment form (2013), was administered to collect details regarding the oral health status, self-assessment of oral health, and risks. Descriptive and analytical statistics were performed. Results Out of the total study population, 76.4% (n=672) were Irulars and 23.6% (208) were Narikuravars. The decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) score of the total study population ranged from 0 to 16 and the mean DMFT score of the total population was 5.60 ± 3.416. The mean DMFT score was higher in Irulars (6.58±3.992) than in Narikuravars (5.30±3.160). On assessing the periodontal status, a significant difference (p<0.05) has been observed between the subgroups of age, sex, ethnicity, and education. The prevalence of Leukoplakia and Tobacco Pouch Keratosis in the total study population was 3.3% and 1.6% respectively. Conclusion The oral health status of Irulars was poorer than that of Narikuravars. This study highlights the requirement of raising awareness about the significance of oral health and strategically implementing necessary dental care in tribal people living in this region of Tamil Nadu.