OBJECTIVE:
assess the oral health status of leprosy patients in Sobral-CE.
METHODS:
cross-sectional study. An epidemiological oral health survey and interview were conducted with 65 leprosy patients. Oral health, socioeconomic data, use of dental services and perception of the relationship between oral health and disease were analyzed.
RESULTS:
the majority had low education (n=47) and were not instructed to see a dentist when they were diagnosed (n=44). Ten respondents experienced some difficulty brushing their teeth, because of numbness in the upper limbs. A statistically significant relationship between reactive episodes and gingival bleeding (p=0.010), operational classification (p=0.001) and demand for dental services (p=0.001) was observed.
CONCLUSION:
it is important f or leprosy patients to have dental follow-up in order to reduce sources of infection with this disease.
Leprosy; Oral Health; Health Services Accessibility; Epidemiology
