Salivary and Dental Plaque Composition in Disabled Children Who Require Home Care: A Cross-sectional Investigation

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to compare salivary and dental plaque (DP) composition between disabled children who require home care (DCHC) and a control group (CG) and to correlate it with oral and systemic health factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 15 DCHC and 15 healthy children (aged between 4 and 10 years). The caregivers answered a questionnaire on disease diagnosis, medical history, dental history, and oral hygiene routine. In addition to clinical examination, saliva and DP samples were collected and analyzed using attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Data were collected between January and December 2019. Student’s t and Kendall correlation tests were used. RESULTS: Calculus (46.7%), bleeding on toothbrushing (53.3%), and gingival hyperplasia (40.0%) were prevalent in DCHC. The saliva of DCHC presented a higher amount of lipids and collagen and a lower amount of carbohydrates than that of the CG (P < 0.05). DP components were similar in DCHC and CG. CONCLUSION: DCHC presented oral comorbidities and changes in salivary composition, compared with the CG.