Oral health condition and treatment needs of Special Olympics athletes in Nigeria.

Special Olympics (SO) athletes in many parts of the world were reported to have poor oral health and high unmet treatment needs. This study was carried out to determine the oral health condition and treatment needs of SO athletes in Nigeria and to suggest ways of improving access to oral healthcare. Consenting athletes who participated in SO events in Nigeria from 2007 to 2008 received oral examination and evaluation by trained volunteers, using standardized Special Smiles screening forms and procedures designed for the event. A total of 1,286 athletes aged 3 to 71 years, 480 (37.3%) females and 806 (62.7%) males, participated in the screening. The majority (86.1%) cleaned their mouths once daily, 12.2% complained of pain, 21.1% had untreated decay, 6.6% had dental injury, 48.1% had gingival signs suggestive of periodontal disease, 15.8% required urgent treatment, and 43.7% required non-urgent treatment. We found that the oral health of SO athletes in this study was poorer than that of the general population in Nigeria.