Oral Health Needs of the Homeless

S. Williams

This is the first assessment of the oral health needs of single homeless adults in North and West Belfast.

The study population had greater experience of dental caries and periodontal disease compared with adults in Northern Ireland (NI) who took part in the 1998 Adult Dental Health Survey.
The widespread use of smoking and use and abuse of alcohol marked the study population as a high-risk group for oral cancer, with the increased risk calculated as 95 times greater than the NI population as a whole.

Homeless people are not a homogeneous population, therefore social exclusion and psycho-social functioning should be considered when planning appropriate oral healthcare services for this diverse client group.

British Dental Journal 202, 742 - 743 (2007)