Oral health status and dental treatment needs in children with autism spectrum disorder
Sherin Sara George,
Manju George Elenjickal,
Sachin Naik,
Nebu George Thomas,
Sajith Vellappally,
Nibu Varghese,
Aby Mathew,
Vivek Narayan,
Rinsy P. Varughese,
Sukumaran Anil
Affiliations
Sherin Sara George
Pratheeksha Child Development Centre, Pushpagiri Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Thiruvalla, India; Dr. Somson's Dental Clinic- Centre for Advanced Dental Care, Pazhavangadi PO, Ranny, 689673, India
Manju George Elenjickal
Pratheeksha Child Development Centre, Pushpagiri Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Thiruvalla, India
Sachin Naik
Department of Dental Health, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Dental Biomaterials Research Chair, Department of Dental Health, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11433, Saudi Arabia
Nebu George Thomas
Department of Periodontology, Pushpagiri College of Dental Sciences, Thiruvalla, India
Sajith Vellappally
Department of Dental Health, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Nibu Varghese
Mar Athanasios College of Advanced Studies, Thiruvalla, India
Aby Mathew
Department of Prosthodontics Crown and Bridge, Pushpagiri College of Dental Sciences, India
Vivek Narayan
Public Health Dentistry, Government Dental College, Kottayam, Kerala, India
Rinsy P. Varughese
Dr. Somson's Dental Clinic- Centre for Advanced Dental Care, Pazhavangadi PO, Ranny, 689673, India
Sukumaran Anil
Department of Dentistry, Oral Health Institute, Hamad Medical Cooperation, Doha, 3050, Qatar; College of Dental Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, 2713, Qatar; Corresponding author. Department of Dentistry, Oral Health Institute, Hamad Medical Cooperation, Doha 3050, Qatar College of Dental Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, 2713, Qatar.
Objective: To evaluate oral health care practices, health status, and dental treatment needs in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 96 children diagnosed with ASD per the DSM-V criteria and 96 typically developing healthy children. The WHO form assessed oral health status and dental treatment needs. Results: Over 50 % of ASD children had mild/moderate autism, 35.4 % had severe autism, and 13.5 % had autistic traits. ASD children experienced more toothbrushing difficulties compared to non-ASD children. Based on Nyvad's criteria and decayed/filled teeth (dft) index, non-ASD children had higher caries prevalence than ASD children, indicating less need for restorative treatments in the ASD group. However, ASD children had poorer plaque scores than non-ASD children. A significantly higher percentage of ASD children exhibited harmful oral behaviors, including mouth breathing, lip biting, bruxism, nail biting, object biting, and self-injury (p < 0.001). ASD children also showed increased traumatic dental injuries compared to non-ASD children. Conclusion: Compared to non-ASD peers, children with ASD have lower dental caries prevalence and less need for restorations, yet poorer plaque control. They also demonstrate more frequent oral self-injuries. ASD status appears related to toothbrushing difficulties. These findings highlight the need for tailored oral health interventions for children with ASD.
