Features of dental status in children with autistic disorders

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of the publication was to conduct an epidemiological survey for a comprehensive study of the dental status in children with autism spectrum disorder to clarify the areas of medical and social work and the potential scope of dental intervention.Materials and Methods. We examined 98 children with autism spectrum disorders aged 3 to 7 years, 69 of them with temporary and 29 with mixed occlusion. A dental examination of patients was carried out, the state of oral hygiene, carious defects of the teeth, and the state of periodontal tissues were assessed. Results. It is shown that the state of oral hygiene in children with autism spectrum disorder is unsatisfactory. The need for dental care in 85±5.6% of patients was diagnosed; there was a high prevalence (78.6%) of caries of primary teeth against the background of a significant intensity of caries pathology (the share of the “D” component in the overall structure of caries intensity is 81±3.11%); The prevalence of gingivitis was 61%, and the proportion of children with healthy parodontium was 7.14%.Conclusion. The results of the study determine the need to provide children with autism spectrum disorders with qualified dental care and its significant volumes. A set of recommended therapeutic and preventive measures has been proposed, including strengthening oral hygiene with particular regard to the specific characteristics of the underlying disease (emphasis on the motivational factor, transferring manual actions to a game format, using gadgets), strengthening pathogenetic therapy with the daily use of remineralizing drugs, the use of special physical therapeutic techniques (programs) in combination with regular examinations at the dentist and an increase in the intensity of preventive measures.