Enrique Bimstein1, Roy G Jerrell2, James P Weaver2, Linda Dailey3. 1. Division of Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky. USA. ebi223@uky.edu. 2. Post-doctoral Pediatric Dentistry Program, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla. USA. 3. Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, St. Augustine, Fla. USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to: (1) describe the demographics and oral characteristics of deaf or blind children and adolescents receiving dental treatment at an institution for the deaf and blind (DBC); (2) compare this information to children and adolescents with no systemic disease or impairments attending a dental university clinic (UC); and (3) compare the oral characteristics between visually or auditorily impaired children and adolescents. METHODS: The demographics and oral characteristics of 120 DBC patients and 119 UC patients and between 35 visually impaired and 85 auditorily impaired were compared using analysis of variance, chi-square, Fisher's exact, and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: When controlling for age, there was no statistically significant difference between the UC and the DBC patients regarding caries prevalence. A significantly higher proportion of DBC children had gingival inflammation. Visually impaired patients had a statistically higher level of dependence on caretakers and higher gingivitis and plaque scores than the auditorily impaired. CONCLUSIONS: Under oral health supervision, children and adolescents with or without hearing or visual impairment develop similar dental caries prevalence. Oral hygiene and resulting gingival inflammation are a challenge for the visually impaired and, to a lesser degree, the auditorily impaired.
PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to: (1) describe the demographics and oral characteristics of deaf or blind children and adolescents receiving dental treatment at an institution for the deaf and blind (DBC); (2) compare this information to children and adolescents with no systemic disease or impairments attending a dental university clinic (UC); and (3) compare the oral characteristics between visually or auditorily impaired children and adolescents. METHODS: The demographics and oral characteristics of 120 DBC patients and 119 UC patients and between 35 visually impaired and 85 auditorily impaired were compared using analysis of variance, chi-square, Fisher's exact, and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: When controlling for age, there was no statistically significant difference between the UC and the DBC patients regarding caries prevalence. A significantly higher proportion of DBC children had gingival inflammation. Visually impairedpatients had a statistically higher level of dependence on caretakers and higher gingivitis and plaque scores than the auditorily impaired. CONCLUSIONS: Under oral health supervision, children and adolescents with or without hearing or visual impairment develop similar dental caries prevalence. Oral hygiene and resulting gingival inflammation are a challenge for the visually impaired and, to a lesser degree, the auditorily impaired.