Aditi Sharma - Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Swami Devi Dyal Hospital and Dental College, Barwala, India
Simarpreet Singh - Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Surendera Dental College and Research Institute, Sri Ganganagar, India
Anmol Mathur - Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Dr. D.Y Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, India
Vikram Pal Aggarwal - Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Surendera Dental College and Research Institute, Sri Ganganagar, India
Neha Gupta - Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Surendera Dental College and Research Institute, Sri Ganganagar, India
Diljot Kaur Makkar - Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Institue of Dental Sciences, Sephora, J&K, India
Manu Batra - Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Surendera Dental College and Research Institute, Sri Ganganagar, India
Deeksha Gijwani - Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Surendera Dental College and Research Institute, Sri Ganganagar, India

Background: Various studies have tested quality of life (QOL) among drug addicts, however very few have reported any association between oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) and mode of drug administration among drug addicts. Hence, the present study was conducted aiming to evaluate the impact of mode of administration of drugs on OHRQOL among drug addicts. Methods: Data was collected using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) method among ۳۱۳ male drug addicts in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, India, using self-administered questionnaires on oral hygiene aids and drug addiction history. OHRQOL was recorded using Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-۱۴) questionnaire. The chi-square test, t-test, and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for statistical analysis. Findings: In this study, ۵۶.۲% of the drug addicts reported practicing oral hygiene aids. The main drugs abused were heroin, cocaine, and amphetamines as ۵۱.۴%, ۳۵.۱%, and ۱۳.۴%, respectively. Most of the drug addicts were employed (۸۲.۴%) and studied up to primary education (۴۶.۳%). The highest mean values of community periodontal index (CPI) and decayed, missing, filled surface (DMFS) were found among the cocaine addicts and amphetamine abusers with rates of ۳.۱۱ ± ۰.۹۸ and ۶.۶۹ ± ۸.۵۲, respectively. Poor OHRQOL was observed among addicts who consumed drugs in inhalation since a long time irrespective of the type of the drug, but among them heroin addicted subjects had the poorest OHRQOL. Conclusion: OHRQOL was poor among the drug addicts in comparison to general population. Preventive strategies on oral health and other health promotion programs for this vulnerable group can be unified.

drug users, Route of drug, Oral Health, Quality of Life