Unmet oral health needs among persons with intellectual disability

• Published in: Research in developmental disabilities Vol. 59; pp. 370 - 377
• Main Authors: Petrovic, Bojan B., Peric, Tamara O., Markovic, Dejan L.J., Bajkin, Branislav B., Petrovic, Djorde, Blagojevic, Duska B., Vujkov, Sanja
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2016
• Subjects: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dental care; Dental care for disabled; Dental Caries - epidemiology; Dental Plaque - epidemiology; Dental Plaque Index; Developmental Disabilities - epidemiology; Female; Health Services Needs and Demand; Humans; Infant; Institutionalization - statistics & numerical data; Intellectual disability; Intellectual Disability - epidemiology; Male; Odds Ratio; Oral Health - statistics & numerical data; Oral Hygiene; Periodontal Diseases - epidemiology; Periodontal Index; Serbia - epidemiology; Young Adult; Dental care; Dental care for disabled; Intellectual disability
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2016.09.020
• EISSN: 1873-3379
• ISSN: 0891-4222

The aim of this study was to examine the factors affecting oral health status among intellectually disabled individuals in Serbia. The sample population was categorized according to age, sex, living arrangements, general health and the level of intellectual disability (ID). The diagnosis of dental caries was performed using the DMFT/dmft criteria. The oral hygiene and gingival health were assessed with the plaque index (Silness&Löe) and gingival index (Löe&Silness), respectively. Descriptive analysis, step-wise and logistic regression were performed to analyze related influential factors for caries presence, number of extracted teeth, teeth restored, the oral hygiene level and the extent of gingival inflammation. Odds ratios for caries were significantly higher among adult persons with ID, in persons with co-occurring developmental disorders (DDS) and increased with the level of ID. Group with DDS was associated with a 1.6 times greater odds of untreated decay, while the institutionalization was associated with 2.4 times greater odds of untreated decay. Institutionalization and co-occurring disabilities have been found to be significantly associated with a higher probability of developing gingivitis. Targeting oral health services to individuals with ID are encouraged and may help to reduce overall negative effect on oral and general health associated with delayed treatments, chronic dental pain, emergency dental care, tooth loss and advanced periodontal disease.