Oral Health, Caries, and Bruxism in Institutionalized Psychiatric Patients: The Impact of Long-term Psychotropic Medication Use

The present study evaluates the prevalence of bruxism and its association with dental caries and oral hygiene in patients with severe mental disorders. 200 patients (51.5% female and 48.5% male) aged 30 to 70 years, who were hospitalized at the Ali Mihali Psychiatric Hospital in Vlore, Albania, for five to thirty years, participated in the observational study. The study was granted formal ethical approval by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Vlora, Albania, and complied with the Declaration of Helsinki. Participants were divided into four age groups: 30–40, 41–50, 51–60, and 61–70 years. The data showed that 68% of patients had poor oral hygiene, with 66% suffering from dental caries, primarily because they brushed their teeth only once a day. Around 50% of patients treated with psychotropic drugs like haloperidol, risperidone, and olanzapine reported involuntary jaw movements and teeth grinding. Based on the ANOVA test, a notable statistically significant association was detected between the administration of these medications and the incidence of bruxism (p = 0.001). It was also noted that there was a significant relationship between bruxism and caries, as indicated by high statistical significance (p < 0.05). Our study indicates that extended use of psychotropic medications linked to dry mouth considerably raises the risk of chronic bruxism and adverse oral health in individuals with mental health issues.

Bruxism, Dental Caries, Oral Hygiene, Severe Mental Illness, Psychotropic Medications.

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