Dental health and dental care requirements for young handicapped adults in Wessex.

The dental health status and treatment requirements of 195 young handicapped adults living in the Wessex Health Region are reported. These young adults, aged 25-34 years, attended adult training centres on a daily basis in each of the districts in Wessex Region. The amount of untreated caries was higher and the periodontal status worse for this group than would normally be expected in young adults in this age range. The dental care received was related to the ability of the subject to comprehend and co-operate with the operator. Nearly half the subjects could receive routine treatment in a normal surgery and about a quarter were likely to require hospitalisation and general anaesthesia to achieve any treatment. The community dental service should play an important role in organising and supervising preventive strategies, with the aim of improving oral hygiene for these young handicapped adults, which should materially improve their periodontal health.