Oral health status of 12-year-old children with disabilities and controls in Southern India

ABSTRACT

Background: This study explores the association of disabilities and oral health. The aim of thestudy was to compare and assess oral health status of 12-year-old children with disabilities withhealthy controls in Karnataka, Southern India.Methods: A total of 191 schoolchildren with disabilities were examined from 12-year age group.For comparison, 203 healthy children were randomly selected from other government schools.Clinical data were collected on periodontal status, dental caries, treatment needs and dentalmalocclusion using WHO criteria. A chi-squared test was used to compare between categoricalvariables. Linear and logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the importance ofthe factors associated with caries status.Results: Significant differences were noted in the frequency of sugar consumption between subjectswith disabilities and their healthy controls. Subjects with disabilities had significantly higher CPI(community periodontal index) scores than their healthy counterparts (p<0.001). Dental carieswas present in 89.8% children from special schools as compared with 58.6% from the controlgroup. Mean DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) values for special school children and healthycontrols were 2.52 ± 2.61 and 0.61 ± 1.12, respectively. Higher prevalence of malocclusion wasseen in subjects with special healthcare needs, with 66.4% having definite malocclusion and17.4% of controls having malocclusion (p<0.001). The mean values for treatment needs werehigher in subjects with disabilities. Regression analysis showed that, type of school, male gender,low frequency of brushing, increased frequency of sugar consumption between meals and dentalmalocclusion were significantly related to dental caries.Conclusion: Poor oral health of children with disabilities as compared with their healthy controlsin terms of periodontal status, dentition status, treatment needs, and dentofacial anomalies wasfound in our study, which confirms a need for preventive treatment for these children