Dentition Status of Tea Garden Workers in Sylhet

Background: Tea manufacturing is the largest labor-based industry in Bangladesh. Dental health problems due tothe poor oral health status of the tea workers are considered an emerging health problem. Methods: This study cross-sectional study was designed to assess the dentition status of the 372 tea garden workers. Dentition status was measuredby using ‘DMFT index score’. Results: The mean age of the workers was 35.2±8.3 years and one-third was from theage groups 28-37 years. Three-fourths of the workers (76.3%) had decayed teeth, 42.8% had missing teeth and fewer(5.9%) had filled teeth. The mean DMFT was found 3.15±3.481. The mean numbers of decayed missing and filledteeth per person were observed at 2.15±2.473, 0.97±1.629 and 0.13±0.621 respectively. The highest DMFT was foundin the 48-57 years group (6.64±4.382) and the mean decayed teeth were also highest in this group (3.94±3.464). Themean of decayed, missing and filled teeth observed in income group <5,000 taka were 2.24±2.541, 1.01±1.676 and0.14±0.645. Most of the workers’ dental health status was found poor (45.2%). The levels of dental health status wassignificant with the worker’s education, monthly family income, type of dental cleaning aids, frequency of daily toothcleaning, use of smokeless tobacco, use of pan-supari, alcohol consumption and visit a dentist (p<0.05). Conclusion: The study findings reveal that the dental health status was poor among the tea workers. It is indeed to provide basicdental healthcare facilities in their health settings.