Oral Streptococcus mutans load among Indian children with cerebral palsy

Aniruddh Gandhi1, Subhash Sonkesriya2, Shovan Roy3

  • 1Department of Dentistry, Late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Memorial Government Medical College, Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, India.

Bioinformation
|October 10, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) exhibit poorer oral health, including higher rates of cavities and gum disease, compared to healthy children. This necessitates more intensive dental treatments and highlights the need for improved oral hygiene strategies for this population.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Neurology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Cerebral palsy (CP) motor impairments significantly affect oral health management.
  • Poor oral hygiene, sugary diets, and medications increase risks for dental caries and periodontal disease in children with CP.
  • A cycle of poor dental health exacerbates therapy demands and impacts overall well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the oral health status, caries activity (via Streptococcus mutans levels), and treatment needs of children with CP versus healthy controls.
  • To evaluate oral hygiene, malocclusion, trauma, and gingival health in both groups.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study involving 204 children, with 102 diagnosed with CP (Category A) and 102 healthy controls (Category B).
  • Oral examinations included assessments of malocclusion, trauma, DMFS/defs, gingival index, and Oral Hygiene Index (OHI).
  • Salivary Streptococcus mutans concentrations were measured to assess caries activity.

Main Results:

  • Children with CP showed significantly higher DMFS (decayed, missing, filled teeth) in permanent teeth and poorer oral hygiene scores.
  • The gingival condition was markedly worse in the CP group compared to controls.
  • Elevated Streptococcus mutans levels in CP patients indicated active and progressing dental caries.

Conclusions:

  • Children with cerebral palsy face significant oral health challenges, including increased caries prevalence and poorer hygiene.
  • CP necessitates more complex dental interventions like stainless steel crowns, pulpectomy, and extractions.
  • Targeted preventative care and improved oral hygiene strategies are crucial for children with CP to mitigate dental disease progression.

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