Oral Health Assessment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Special Schools

BACKGROUND: Sensory over-responsivity is an important factor influencing the ability of children with an autism spectrum disorder to receive proper oral care. Dental care remains the most prevalent, unmet health care need for children with special health care needs. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the oral health of children with autism in special schools. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to record the oral health problems of 142 autistic children attending special schools across the suburbs of Mumbai city in India. Clinical examination was carried out for the presence of dental plaque, gingivitis, caries, restorations, traumatic injuries, and self-injurious habits. The participants were divided into three groups based on their age. RESULTS: Children with primary and mixed dentition had a higher incidence of dental caries when compared with the permanent dentition group. Good oral hygiene was observed in the study population with a mean OHI-S score of 0.88 ± 0.79. Traumatic dental injuries, bruxism, drooling of saliva from the corner of the mouth, and self-injurious habits were also recorded. CONCLUSION: Due to the nature of their neurological deficit and difficulty in providing dental treatment, it is recommended that preventive dental care be enforced on these children. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Santosh A, Kakade A, Mali S, et al. Oral Health Assessment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Special Schools. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2021;14(4):548–553.