Abstract

Aim To assess the use of dental services, barriers to uptake of dental care and attitudes to regular dental examinations and the prevalence of tobacco and paan chewing habits in a group of Bangladeshi medical care users.

Design Multi-centre cross-sectional study.

Setting Four general medical practices' waiting areas in Tower Hamlets.

Subjects Bangladeshi adults aged 40 years and over.

Intervention An interview schedule.

Main outcome measures The prevalence of tobacco smoking and paan chewing with or without the addition of tobacco. The use of dental services, barriers to the use of dental services and attitudes to regular dental examinations.

Results Results were obtained from 158 subjects (response rate 85%). 25% of the whole sample had never visited a dentist. These were significantly (P < 0.05) more likely to be women, who also thought regular check-ups were of little value. In their use of health services 73% experienced language difficulties. 33% of the sample were tobacco smokers. Paan was chewed by 78% of the sample with significantly (P < 0.05) more females than males adding tobacco to their quid and chewing more frequently than males.

Conclusion There are considerable barriers to be overcome if dental practices are to be the site for oral cancer screening and oral health promotion in this population. There are sex differences in reported behaviour and attitudes about use of dental services and in tobacco and paan use in this Bangladeshi sample. Further research is needed to establish why this ethnic minority attend general medical practices but not general dental practices.

1. Director, Oral Health and Ethnicity Unit, Leeds Dental Institute