The oral health conditions of the homeless in downtown Los Angeles

Hazem Seirawan; Laura Kathleen Elizondo; Niel Nathason; Roseann Mulligan

The oral health conditions of the homeless in downtown Los Angeles

J Calif Dent Assoc. 2010 Sep;38(9):681-8.

Authors

Hazem Seirawan¹, Laura Kathleen Elizondo, Niel Nathason, Roseann Mulligan

Affiliation

¹ Division of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, University of Southern California, School of Dentistry, Los Angeles 90089, USA.

PMID: 20961031

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate a community health project serving the homeless and to assess their oral health. Clinical charts of 1,088 patients were evaluated. The prevalence of untreated caries was 58 percent among adults with a mean of 6.3 decayed teeth. Homeless individuals are in great need of restorative, surgical, and periodontal dental procedures. Community health projects are important in assessing and improving the oral health of the underserved homeless population.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Chi-Square Distribution
Child
Child, Preschool
Community Health Services / statistics & numerical data*
Community-Institutional Relations
Dental Care / statistics & numerical data*
Dental Caries / epidemiology*
Dental Pulp Diseases / epidemiology
Female
Health Services Needs and Demand / statistics & numerical data
Humans
Ill-Housed Persons* / statistics & numerical data
Los Angeles / epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Periodontal Diseases / epidemiology*
Prevalence
Religious Missions
Schools, Dental
Statistics, Nonparametric
Young Adult