Prevalence of dental caries in an adult population with mental disabilities in Spain.

The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of dental caries and the possible influence of extraoral factors in a group of adults with a mild to moderate degree of developmental delay. A total of 166 subjects ranging in age from 20 to 40 years were examined. All subjects were institutionalized, and 70.4% (n = 117) participated in a preventive program designed by the educators of the center. This consisted of weekly fluoride mouthrinses (0.2%) and control of dental plaque by toothbrushing with a fluoride toothpaste. The mean DMFT index for the whole sample was 5.97. Subjects in the oldest age group had the highest DMFT index and the lowest filled component. There were no significant differences in the DMFT index and its components between the subjects who received a weekly fluoride mouthrinse (n = 117) and those who did not (n = 49). Comparison of subjects who had cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, and idiopathic developmental delay (n = 157) found a significantly lower DMFT index (p < 0.05) in the persons with Down Syndrome compared with the other special-needs groups. Other factors which could influence the results-such as fluoride use, oral hygiene, and administration of benzodiazepines-were also analyzed. An analysis of the results revealed a moderately high prevalence of caries in the whole sample that was lower than that in a national survey. This could be attributed to strict dietary control of sugar in the study population.