Shalini Shikha, Sharma Swati, Anand Abhishek, Almalki Sultan A, Biswas Arpan, Sharma Mridul, Sihag Tarun, Ojha Akshaya, Garg Yogesh, Paiwal Kapil
Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Smitam Arogyam Dental Centre, Patna, IND.
Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Dental College RIMS, Ranchi, IND.
Cureus. 2023 Jul 25;15(7):e42416. doi: 10.7759/cureus.42416. eCollection 2023 Jul.
Background and objective Children with special healthcare needs are at an increased risk of oral health problems, including dental caries. Understanding the prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene status, deft (decayed, extracted, filled teeth) index, and oral hygiene habits in this population is crucial for effective oral healthcare planning and interventions. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene status, deft index, and oral hygiene habits among children aged 4-15 years with special healthcare needs in Jodhpur District, Rajasthan, India. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 124 children from various, government and non-governmental organizations (NGO)-run special schools. Data on dental caries, oral hygiene status, deft index, and oral hygiene habits were collected using standardized tools and techniques. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were used to analyze the data. Results The prevalence of dental caries among children with special healthcare needs was 65%. The severity of dental caries varied, with 40% classified as mild, 20% as moderate, and 5% as severe. Additionally, 75% of the children exhibited poor oral hygiene, as indicated by the oral hygiene status assessment. The mean deft index score was 2.8, indicating an average dental caries experience among the participants. Regarding oral hygiene habits, 60% reported brushing their teeth once a day, while 40% reported brushing twice a day. However, a significant proportion (70%) reported non-fluoride use, and 55% stated they did not perform regular flossing. Conclusion This study highlights a high prevalence of dental caries, poor oral hygiene status, and suboptimal oral hygiene habits among children with special healthcare needs in Jodhpur District. The findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions focusing on preventive measures, oral health education, and improving access to oral healthcare for this vulnerable population. Further research with larger sample sizes and longitudinal study designs is warranted to validate these findings and develop effective strategies for enhancing oral health outcomes in children with special healthcare needs.
背景与目的 有特殊医疗需求的儿童患口腔健康问题（包括龋齿）的风险增加。了解该人群中龋齿的患病率、口腔卫生状况、乳牙龋失补牙面（decayed, extracted, filled teeth，简称deft）指数及口腔卫生习惯，对于有效的口腔医疗保健规划和干预措施至关重要。本研究的目的是评估印度拉贾斯坦邦焦特布尔地区4至15岁有特殊医疗需求儿童的龋齿患病率、口腔卫生状况、deft指数及口腔卫生习惯。方法 对来自各类政府和非政府组织（NGO）开办的特殊学校的124名儿童进行了横断面研究。使用标准化工具和技术收集有关龋齿、口腔卫生状况、deft指数及口腔卫生习惯的数据。采用描述性统计，包括频数和百分比，对数据进行分析。结果 有特殊医疗需求儿童的龋齿患病率为65%。龋齿严重程度各不相同，40%为轻度，20%为中度，5%为重度。此外，根据口腔卫生状况评估，75%的儿童口腔卫生较差。deft指数平均得分2.8，表明参与者平均有龋齿经历。关于口腔卫生习惯，60%的儿童报告每天刷牙一次，40%的儿童报告每天刷牙两次。然而，相当大比例（70%）的儿童报告不使用含氟牙膏，55%的儿童表示不定期使用牙线。结论 本研究突出表明，焦特布尔地区有特殊医疗需求的儿童中，龋齿患病率高、口腔卫生状况差且口腔卫生习惯欠佳。研究结果强调需要针对这一弱势群体采取有针对性的干预措施，重点是预防措施、口腔健康教育以及改善口腔医疗保健服务的可及性。有必要开展样本量更大的进一步研究以及纵向研究设计，以验证这些发现，并制定有效策略来改善有特殊医疗需求儿童的口腔健康状况。
