Helping against homelessness

Bringing preventative care, educational resources and treatment to the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations is a goal close to the heart of many dental health professionals. Many clinicians do much to serve marginalised communities through outreach services, volunteering, or within their general practices.

A highly vulnerable group, suffering from inconsistent access to services, and very poor oral health, is the homeless community. In a recent study, 90 per cent of homeless participants reported dental problems since they first lost their homes. Seventy per cent experienced edentulousness, 60 per cent had oral pain, 56 per cent had gingival bleeding, and nearly half experienced either dental caries, halitosis or sensitive teeth. Twenty-eight per cent developed periodontal disease and 24 per cent suffered from a dental abscess.