Dentition Status, Treatment Needs and Risk Predictors for Dental Caries among Institutionalised Disabled Individuals in Central India

Abstract

Introduction: Children and adolescents with disabilities appear to have poorer oral health than their non-disabled counterparts. Individuals with disabilities or illnesses receive less oral care than the normal population. Objective: To determine the dentition status, treatment needs and risk predictors for dental caries of the institutionalized disabled individuals. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with pre-tested questionnaire among 330 institutionalised disabled individuals in the age range from 3 to 22 years. The Dentition status and treatment needs were assessed by using WHO Oral health Proforma 1997. ANOVA test, chi-square test and backward conditional logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: The mean DMFT for all the groups was 1.26 and the mean deft was 0.59. Backward conditional logistic regression revealed that only age categories and disability types were significantly associated with dental caries. Individuals who were mentally retarded (OR=1.36) and in the age group of 13-17 y (OR=1.91) were more likely to develop dental caries. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that overall caries experience was low but the treatment need was high among these institutionalized disabled individuals.

Keywords

• dental caries
• disabled individuals
• risk predictors