Oral hygiene and oral status of institutionalized children with motor and intellectual disabilities

Abstract

The oral hygiene and oral status of children with severe disabilities with both nutritional and respiratory complications who were institutionalized at Karugamonoie (KNI), a facility for children with disabilities, were investigated in this study. Their oral hygiene management was solely dependent on caregivers and nurses at the institution. Thirty children (13 females, 17 males; average age, 7.6 years) who had a tracheotomy and feeding tube (gastrostomy, nasogastric, or jejunostomy feeding tube) were included in the study. As for oral characteristics, poor control of tongue movement, anterior open-bite, abnormal strain of facial muscles, dry mouth, and swallowing dysfunction were found in 63.3%, 63.3%, 13.3%, 20.0%, and 100.0%, of the children, respectively. The mean ± standard deviation Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth score was 0.13 ± 0.57. The Gingival Index (GI) showed that the children had mild (53.3%) to moderate (46.7%) gingivitis. The Simplified Oral Hygiene Index was excellent in 50.0% of the children, good in 23.3%, fair in 20.0%, and poor in 6.7% of the children. These indices were satisfactory in general except for GI management, which may have been hampered by abnormal oral functions and anterior open-bite. In conclusion, oral hygiene management of children with nutritional and respiratory complications at KNI was shown to be of high quality even without on-site intervention by dental specialists.

Prevalencia de gingivitis inducida por biofilm dental en escolares con discapacidad intelectual de la “Unidad Educativa Especial del Azuay” y de la “Escuela de Educación Básica Fiscomisional San José de Calasanz” en la ciudad de Cuenca - Ecuador

“…En relación a otro estudio de Ferreira et al las enfermedades periodontales se manifestaron con una rápida progresión incluso en los grupos de edad más jóvenes. (Bagattoni et al, 2016;Nasu et al, 2020;Ferreira et al, 2016) Un metanálisis de estudios de prevalencia realizado por Zhou et al en 2017 reveló altos índices de acumulación de placa, gingivitis y sangrado al sondaje para personas con discapacidad intelectual. (Zhou et al, 2017)…”

Assessment of dental pain in children with intellectual disability using the dental discomfort questionnaire

“…Another study with a similar conclusion reported that with professional caregivers, the quality of daily oral hygiene of children with motor and intellectual disabilities was very high even without on-site intervention by dental specialists. (Nasu et al, 2020)…”

“…Children with intellectual disabilities may have difficulty understanding and reporting their pain, so behavioral clues can be helpful in assessing the presence of pain (Alzahrani, 2019; Colak et al, 2013; Krekmanova et al, 2016; Narzisi et al, 2020; Nasu et al, 2020; Alaki and Bakry, 2012; Versloot et al 2006; Wyne, 2007). The Dental Discomfort Questionnaire (DDQ) is a dental pain assessment tool aimed at monitoring and scoring behaviors related to toothache and pain (discomfort while eating, sleep disorder and other pain-related behaviors) in children (Versloot et al, 2006).…”

Evaluation Of Oral Health-Related Quality Of Life In Children With Hematological Malignances

“…Oral health can adversely affect the QoL of adults and children, and their families. 10 The SOHI has been used to obtain information about the oral care habits and QoL of individuals varying in age, ethnicity, and sociocultural and health status 11 . In this study, the SOHI was higher in the HM group than the control group, despite similar sociocultural and economic conditions; the difference may have been related to treatment complications, such as mucositis, saliva volume and swallowing difficulties, along with poorer self-care in children with HM 12,13 .OHRQoL is an important public health issue with physical and psychological implications.…”