Dental caries, gingivitis and dental plaque in handicapped children in Nairobi, Kenya.

Dental caries, gingivitis and plaque experience in 449 handicapped children aged 5-15 years attending special schools in Nairobi were determined. An intervention programme to assess oral hygiene status was also instituted. Caries was found in 198 (44%) of these children with a mean DMFT of 0.8. The severity of caries increased with age. Gingivitis was found in 166 (37%) of the children while plaque was present in all sites examined. After treatment during intervention programme, there was marked reduction in the number of sites affected by gingivitis and those with plaque, showing that it is possible to institute a cheap and effective oral health programme in schools.