Risk factors for dental caries in children with developmental disabilities

Carious lesions recurrence in children with developmental disabilities: a longitudinal study

This study investigated the factors associated with new carious lesions in one-to five-year-old children with developmental disabilities. This was a retrospective cohort that evaluated 64 dental charts of individuals with caries or fillings in their first dental appointment. The dependent variable was the occurrence of a new carious lesion or restoration. Gender, age, mother's education, sugar consumption, oral hygiene, mouth breathing, reports of xerostomia, gingival status, use of psychotropic drugs, use of asthma drugs, history of asthma, bronchitis, reflux or seizures and having at least one sibling were covariates. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate the raw and adjusted hazard ratios with their respective 95% confidence interval. The average time that individuals remained free of dental caries/restoration was 79.49 months (95%CI: 64.37 to 92.61). Increase in sucrose consumption increased the rate of caries recurrence (HR = 1.16; 95%CI: 1.04 to 1.30). Individuals who had poor oral hygiene had higher rate of new dental caries (HR = 3.88; 95%CI: 1.22 to 12.37) compared to those with good oral hygiene. The presence of mouth breathing decreased the rate of recurrence of the disease when compared to the nasal breathing (HR = 0.32; 95%CI: 0.15 to 0.70). Oral health-related behaviors and nasal respiration influenced the rate of dental caries recurrence in individuals with developmental disabilities.

Oral health of Brazilian individuals with mucopolyssaccaridosis

PURPOSE

This study described and compared the oral characteristics of Brazilian individuals with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) and without MPS.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed with 29 individuals with MPS and 29 without MPS and their parents/guardians. The individuals were aged between 3 and 21 years and attended at two hospitals in Belo Horizonte, southeastern Brazil. The dental characteristics were evaluated by clinical examination of dental caries, gingivitis, malocclusion, dental anomalies and developmental defects of enamel. The parents/guardians answered a questionnaire about the sociodemographic and behavioural aspects of their children. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Minas Gerais.

RESULTS

The average age of the individuals was 13.9 years (± 7.2). The majority were male (58.6%), had black/brown skin (70.7%) and were from favored economic class (89.7%). Dental caries, gingivitis, malocclusion and dental anomalies were more prevalent in the MPS group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The individuals with MPS had a higher prevalence of oral diseases and dental anomalies than the group without MPS.

Assessing a possible vulnerability to dental caries in individuals with rare genetic diseases that affect the skeletal development

Background

Individuals diagnosed with a rare genetic disease that affects skeletal development often have physical limitations and orofacial problems that exert an impact on oral health. The aim of the present study was to analyze the possible vulnerability to dental caries in individuals with rare genetic diseases that affect skeletal development.

Methods

A paired cross-sectional study was carried out with a sample of 140 individuals [70 with rare genetic diseases affecting skeletal development: mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) (n = 29) and osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) (n = 41) and 70 without rare diseases] and their parents/caregivers. The participants in the first group were recruited from two reference hospitals specialized in rare genetic diseases in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. All participants were examined for the evaluation of breathing type, malocclusion, dental anomalies, oral hygiene and dental caries. The parents/caregivers answered a structured questionnaire addressing the individual/behavioral characteristics and medical/dental history of the participants. Statistical analysis involved the chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis for the dependent variable (dental caries) (α = 5%). This study received approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.

Results

The mean age of the individuals was 10.34 ± 6.55 years (median: 9.50 years). Individuals with inadequate oral hygiene were 4.70–fold more likely to have dental caries (95% CI: 2.13–10.40) and those with the rare genetic diseases (MPS/OI) were 2.92-fold more likely to have dental caries (95% CI: 1.38–6.17).

Conclusion

Individuals with inadequate oral hygiene and those with MPS and OI had a greater chance of belonging to the group with dental caries. Based on the present findings, individuals with the rare genetic diseases may be considered vulnerable to caries.

A comparative study on oral health status in Greek preschool children with neurodevelopmental disorders with movement limitations

AIM

To assess the oral health status of preschool children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) in Greece and compare it to that, of healthy children of the same age.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The sample consisted of 146 preschool children with NDD and movement limitations attending the rehabilitation centers of ELEPAP and 165 healthy children matched for age and maternal origin. Caries prevalence, dmft index, precavitated carious lesions (WSL) prevalence Visual Plaque Index (VPI), Restorative Index (RI), Mutans Streptococci (MS) levels, saliva buffer capacity, gingival hyperplasia, tooth wear and developmental dental defects were assessed. Data were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric tests (P ≤.05). The NDD group, compared to the healthy controls, had significantly lower caries prevalence (P <.001), dmft index (P <.001), VPI (P <.001) and MS levels (P = .027), significantly higher WSL prevalence (P <.001), and visited the dentist at an older age (P <.001). Significant determinants of WSL in the NDD group was the VPI (P = .009) and the presence of MS (P <.028).

CONCLUSION

Preschool children with NDD had lower prevalence of manifested caries but higher prevalence of WSL. However, most oral health parameters need improvement for both groups indicating the need for proper early interventions especially in the NDD group.