Oral Behavior and Dental Status of Orthodox Christian Priests and Monks

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Common conditions of daily routine and diet may affect the dental status of individuals in organized groups and professional communities. The aim of this study was to reveal the specific aspects of dental status in orthodox priests and monks of the Yaroslavl region, Russia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dental assessment of 311 participants (111 monks; 111 priests; and 90 local residents, not clergymen – as a control group) was performed, including Decayed, Missed, Filled Teeth, oral hygiene index (simplified), gingival, and Modified Papillary Bleeding Indices (MPBIs). The participants completed a questionnaire on food habits and awareness concerning dental health preservation. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical analysis of the data was performed in SPSS software with the use of Shapiro–Wilk, Dunn's, Fisher tests, z-test as well as Spearman correlation, and ANOVA. RESULTS: The median values of MPBI in monks were higher than in the groups of priests and local residents (P = 0.005). The differences in number of missing teeth were significantly higher in priests compared with local residents (P = 0.011), and the number of filled teeth was significantly higher in priests (P = 0.006) and local residents (P = 0.007) compared with monks. Wedge-shaped defects and erosions were more prevalent in the groups of priests (0.0018 and 0.001, respectively) and monks (0.004 and 0.001, respectively). ANOVA resulted in statistically significant influence of teeth brushing frequency and frequency of food intake on hygienic and periodontal indices values. CONCLUSIONS: The increased prevalence of some dental diseases among priests and monks could be attributed to the specific diet, lifestyle, and limited access to dental care.