Oral health difficulties in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: Parental perception

Abstract

Introduction/Objective Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by features that have the potential to make oral hygiene and dental appointments challenging. The aim of this study was to investigate difficulties related to oral hygiene and dental appointments that may be encountered in children and adolescents with ASD, in comparison to their typically developing peers. Methods A 48-item questionnaire was prepared for the purpose of the study and distributed to parents of children and adolescents with ASD in three specialized daycare centers, as well as to parents of typically developing children and adolescents at the Clinic for Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry in Belgrade, Serbia. Ninety-two questionnaires were considered and statistically analyzed in the SPSS program, using χ2 and Mann-Whitney U-test. Results The following statistically significant differences were found between children and adolescents with ASD and their typically developing peers: general difficulties in everyday oral hygiene, need of help for basic oral hygiene tasks, tooth brushing frequency, sensory difficulties related to toothbrush and toothpaste, level of anxiety prior to dental appointment, cooperation during appointment, sensory difficulties related to touch, operatory light and sound of dental unit, number of treatments under general anesthesia, and the number of refused dental treatments. Conclusion Children and adolescents with ASD face significantly more difficulties concerning everyday oral hygiene and dental appointments in comparison to their typically developing peers. Dentists' awareness of issues that are specific to this population of patients is important in order to enable quality dental care.

Uvod/Cilj Poremećaji autističnog spektra (PAS) mogu biti uzrok poteškoća vezanih za održavanje oralne higijene, kao i za posete stomatologu. Cilj rada je bio da se utvrde razlike između dece i adolescenata sa PAS i kontrolne grupe neurotipičnih vršnjaka sa aspekta održavanja oralne higijene i poseta stomatologu. Metode Upitnik od 48 pitanja distribuiran je roditeljima dece i adolescenata sa PAS u tri specijalizovana dnevna boravka, kao i roditeljima kontrolne grupe neurotipičnih vršnjaka. Devedeset dva upitnika je uzeto u obzir i statistički analizirano u programu SPSS. Rezultati Statistički značajne razlike između dece i adolescenata sa PAS i njihovih tipično razvijenih vršnjaka utvrđene su u sledećim kategorijama: teškoće u svakodnevnoj oralnoj higijeni, potreba za pomoći u održavanju oralne higijene, učestalost pranja zuba, senzorne teškoće vezane za četkicu i zubnu pastu, nivo anksioznosti pre posete stomatologu, saradnja tokom stomatološkog tretmana, senzorne teškoće vezane za dodir stomatologa, svetlo i zvuk stomatološkog uređaja, broj tretmana pod opštom anestezijom i broj odbijenih stomatoloških usluga. Zaključak Deca i adolescenti sa PAS suočavaju se sa znatno većim poteškoćama u pogledu svakodnevne oralne higijene i poseta stomatologu u poređenju sa tipično razvijenim vršnjacima. Svest stomatologa o pitanjima koja su specifična za ovu populaciju pacijenata je važna kako bi se deci i adolescentima sa PAS omogućila kvalitetna stomatološka nega.