Impact of parental care on oral health of children with Intellectual Disabilities from zero to six years of age

Abstract Introduction the birth of a child with an intellectual disability requires the definition of the parents' roles in relation to the care of the child. Objective evaluate how much parental care practices, sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics and family knowledge can have an impact on the oral health of children with intellectual disabilities in the age group from zero to six years of age. Material and method the level of help given to the child in the practice of oral hygiene was evaluated according to the adapted functional independence scale. The Parental Beliefs and Care Practices Scale assessed primary care and stimulation offered to the child. The presence of dental plaque and the decay-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) index were analyzed. The significance level was 5%. Result the relative percentage of dental plaque was 11.4%. The DMFT was 2. The prevalence of teeth with indicated extraction is higher in children who receive full assistance for cleaning, when compared to those who receive maximum, moderate help or supervision. Higher levels of dental plaque and decayed teeth were found in children whose parents rated their dental health as poor, hygiene as deficient, and when they believed their children might feel discomfort due to their oral health. Low stimulation frequency resulted in a higher plaque index and number of decayed teeth. Conclusion the frequency of parental care stimulation influenced the percentage of plaque index and the number of decayed teeth in children with intellectual disabilities.