Oral Health Status and Related Factors in Children with Visual Impairment Aged 7-11 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study
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Published on: February 2, 2020
Nasrin Sharififard1,2, Katayoun Sargeran1,2, Katayoun Katayoun1,2
1Research Center for Caries Prevention, Dentistry Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
This study assessed oral health in visually impaired children, finding a high prevalence of poor oral hygiene and caries. Targeted oral health programs are crucial for this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Public Health
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Limited research exists on the oral health status of children with visual impairments.
- Understanding oral hygiene practices and oral health conditions in this population is essential for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the oral health, oral hygiene, and associated factors in visually impaired children aged 7-11 years.
- To identify specific needs for oral health programs in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 47 visually impaired children (aged 7-11) in Tehran.
- Utilized the World Health Organization oral health questionnaire and clinical examinations to assess decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT/dmft), Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S), and bleeding on probing (BOP).
Main Results:
- Over 70% reported satisfaction with dental health, yet 78.7% exhibited bleeding on probing.
- Mean dmft and DMFT scores were 2.85 and 0.81, respectively, with significant unrestored caries in primary (57.4%) and permanent (34%) teeth.
- Daily tooth brushing was reported by 70.2% but inversely correlated with OHI-S, indicating suboptimal hygiene effectiveness.
Conclusions:
- Visually impaired children demonstrate a significant burden of oral disease and poor oral hygiene.
- There is an urgent need to implement specialized oral health promotion programs for visually impaired children.
Objectives:
We aimed to investigate oral health, oral hygiene, and associated factors in children with visual impairment aged 7-11 years.
Materials And Methods:
This cross-sectional study was conducted on 47 children with visual impairment aged 7-11 years who were selected from all three schools available for visually impaired children in Tehran in December 2018. Questions regarding age, gender, status of visual impairment, level of education of the parents, self-reported dental and gingival health, oral health, and dietary habits were asked face-to-face using the World Health Organization oral health questionnaire for children. The decayed, missing, and filled teeth index for both primary (dmft) and permanent (DMFT) dentitions was determined by clinical examination. Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were also assessed. Linear and logistic regression tests were used for statistical analysis.
Results:
Over 70% of the children were satisfied with their dental and gingival health. Daily brushing was reported by 70.2%. Over half of the children reported daily consumption of fruits and jam/honey. The mean dmft and DMFT scores were 2.85±3.21 and 0.81±1.15, respectively. The mean OHI-S was 2.09±0.58. Also, 57.4% and 34% of the children had unrestored caries in their primary and permanent teeth, respectively. BOP was seen in 78.7% of the children. A significant correlation was observed between toothache in the past 12 months and dmft score (P<0.003). Daily tooth brushing was inversely correlated with OHI-S index (P=0.02).
Conclusion:
The results highlight an urgent need for implementation of oral health programs for visually impaired children.
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