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Updated: Mar 18, 2026

Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
[Oral health status in children with intellectual disability living in organized groups]
O G Avraamova1, Yu V Pakhomova1
1Central Research Institute of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery, Moscow, Russia.
Abstract:
The aim of the study was to assess oral health status in in children with intellectual disability (ID) living in Moscow Orphanage №15. The study involved 91 children aged 12 (39 children) and 15 (52 children). Caries incidence and DMFT index, periodontal disease incidence, OHI-S and PMA index, malocclusions incidence were assessed at baseline examination. Caries incidence in 12 and 15 y.o. was moderate (53.85% and 56.0%, correspondingly), as well as DMFT (2.77±0.52 и 2.94±0.53 correspondingly). In 2 children with rumination syndrome all teeth were affected by caries and these children received dental treatment under general anesthesia 7 times during last 60 months. Periodontal disease incidence in 12 and 15 y.o. was 89.74% и 86.58%, correspondingly with very high OHI-S indicating unsatisfactory oral hygiene. Malocclusions incidence was 95% and 98%, correspondingly. Thus the main oral problem in children with ID is periodontal disease and poor oral hygiene. Differentiated oral hygiene education approach according to children's physical and intellectual abilities should be considered. Children with rumination syndrome should be addressed by neurologist prior to dental treatment which needs more radical approach.
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