Patterns and Predictors of Toothbrushing Frequency in Irish Adolescents: The Role of Autism and Intellectual...

To visualise and explore patterns of daily toothbrushing frequency in Irish adolescents and contribute to the understanding of predictors of toothbrushing habits in autistic adolescents and adolescents with intellectual disability.

Data from the Growing Up in Ireland national longitudinal child study were explored to visualise patterns of toothbrushing in children between 9 and 17/18 years. Data for 17/18-year-olds were examined using descriptive and logistic regression analysis to gain insight into predictors of twice-a-day toothbrushing within the full adolescent dataset and a subgroup of autistic adolescents and adolescents with intellectual disability.

Gender, eating breakfast every day and experience of orthodontics positively predicted twice-a-day toothbrushing for young people in general. Oral health rating below excellent, infrequent dental checkups, obesity and drinking soft drinks (not diet) daily negatively predicted twice-a-day toothbrushing. For autistic adolescents and adolescents with intellectual disability, results suggested that the lowest self-rating of oral health, drinking soft drinks (not diet) daily and being autistic with intellectual disability may be factors that influence less than twice-a-day toothbrushing.

Regular contact with the dental team and healthy lifestyle habits may positively influence twice-a-day toothbrushing. Frequency of toothbrushing and actionable targets to support oral health, where high support and more complex oral health challenges exist, require further research.