Subjective Assessment Of Dental And General Health Among Cement Plant Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: There is a need for an in-depth study of the dental health and motivation for preventive and therapeutic measures among cement industry workers. A comprehensive assessment of this problem, including a subjective analysis of complaints, will help identify key target areas for developing a targeted preventive program.

AIM: To assess the dental health and motivation for treatment among workers with hazardous working conditions at a cement plant in the Chechen Republic based on survey data. .

METHODS: A survey of 56 workers with hazardous working conditions at the Chiri-Yurt Cement Plant in the Chechen Republic was conducted using a developed questionnaire, focusing on the key age group of 35-44 years.

RESULTS: An unsatisfactory level of dental health was revealed, characterized by a high prevalence of partial tooth loss (28.6%) and unsatisfactory dental prosthetics (14.3%), coupled with the absence of dental examination in the mandatory medical check-up program. A pronounced discrepancy was found between the high subjective assessment of dental health and the number of reported dental complaints, as well as between the willingness to pay for prosthetics and the low activity of workers in the prevention of dental diseases. A significant prevalence of chronic diseases was identified, primarily of the musculoskeletal (17.9%) and gastrointestinal (14.3%) systems. A statistically significant association was found between certain occupational factors and health disorders.

CONCLUSION: The subjective assessment by cement plant workers with hazardous working conditions of their general and dental health highlights the need for a comprehensive analysis of oral health status, followed by the development of a treatment and prevention program aimed at preserving the working capacity of the examined enterprise's personnel.