Association between Autism Spectrum Disorder and Caregiver-Reported Dental Caries in Children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents complex health considerations.
• Existing research on dental caries in children with ASD is conflicting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between ASD and caregiver-reported dental caries in a national sample.
• To determine if children with ASD have increased odds of dental caries compared to their peers.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health.
• Logistic regression analysis controlling for child and family characteristics.
• Inclusion of caregiver-reported data on ASD and dental caries.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of dental caries was 14.7% in children with ASD versus 9.5% in children without ASD.
• Children with ASD had 1.4 times greater odds of having dental caries (aOR=1.4, 95% CI=1.2-1.7).
• Findings were significant after controlling for covariates.

Conclusions:

• Children with ASD demonstrate a significantly higher prevalence of dental caries.
• This underscores the necessity for targeted oral health interventions and policies for children with ASD.
• Educating families about increased caries risk is crucial.