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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Oral health conditions in Italian Special Olympics athletes
Claudia Dellavia1, Cristina Allievi, Andrea Pallavera
1Department of Human Morphology, Faculty of Motor Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. claudia.dellavia@unimi.it
Abstract:
During three Italian Special Olympics National Games, 365 athletes were screened. Dental and medical conditions and demographic data were recorded. The athletes were divided into two groups: those with Down syndrome (DS) and those without DS but who had intellectual disabilities (non-DS). Most of the subjects were in good systemic health. Total DMFt was 10.3 (SD 5.8; D=1.3; M=6.1; F=2.8). Decayed and filled teeth were significantly more frequent in athletes who did not have DS compared to those with DS. No significant differences were found between the two groups in the number of subjects with filled, sealed, or traumatized teeth. Athletes with DS and without DS who participated in the Italian Special Olympics had a similar oral status, which was better than Italian persons who were institutionalized and who had an intellectual disability.
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