Factors associated with dental caries experience of Thai preschool children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Aim To investigate the factors association with dental caries experience in the primary dentition of Thai preschool children with cerebral palsy. Methods and results A cross‐sectional study was conducted among sixty Thai preschool children with cerebral palsy, aged 3–6 years old. Caries experience was determined by identifying decayednon‐cavitated and cavitated lesion, missing, and filled surfaces of deciduous teeth(dmfs). Sociodemographic data, CP motor types, dietary habits, oral health behaviors and dental plaque index were collected. Multiple linear regression analysis was carried out to identify the strength of the association between factors and dental caries experience. The prevalence of dental caries was 91.66%. The average dmfs was 20.30 ± 21.63 surfaces/individual. The multiple linear regression indicated that dmfs was significantly associated with snacking carbohydrate between meals more than two times/day (β ± SE = 0.372 ± 0.125; p = 0.004), spastic type of cerebral palsy (β ± SE = 0.309 ± 0.124; p = 0.015) and one‐time daily tooth brushing (β ± SE = 0.306 ± 0.124; p = 0.017). Conclusions Nine out of 10 preschool children with CP experienced dental caries. Spastic type of CP had more risk to develop dental decay. Caries prevention for preschool children with CP should emphasis on controlling the frequency of carbohydrate snack no more than two times/day and reinforcing tooth brushing at least twice daily.

Prevalence of Caries and the Need for Urgent Dental Treatment Among Children With Neurological Impairment in Northeastern Bulgaria

“…When compared with previous research, our findings mirror those of Akhter et al [16], suggesting that children with severe motor functional impairments are at a higher risk of dental caries, likely due to challenges in maintaining proper oral hygiene. This notion is further supported by the observations made by Pansrimangkorn et al [17], where a substantial majority of preschoolers with CP were found to have dental caries, particularly those with spasticity.…”

Dental caries and mean values of DMFT among children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Of these, ten studies were from African countries including Nigeria [ 21 – 24 ], Egypt [ 25 , 26 ], Cameroon [ 27 ], South Africa [ 28 ], Uganda [ 29 ], and Sudan [ 30 ]. Other studies were from Asian countries including Bangladesh [ 31 ], Saudi Arabia [ 32 – 34 ], India [ 35 – 37 ], Thailand [ 38 ], China [ 39 ], United Arab Emirates [ 40 ], Sri Lanka [ 41 ], Turkey [ 42 ], Iran [ 43 ], Pakistan [ 44 ], and Jordan [ 45 ]. Studies from 2008 to 2022 were included.…”