Oral health and associated factors among preschool children with special health care needs

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the oral health status and associated factors among preschool children with special health care needs.

Subjects and Methods

This was designed as a cross‐sectional study. Dental examination were provided to 383 children at Special Child Care Centres. Covariates of interest included children's age, developmental profile, oral health‐related behaviours and family social‐economic status. The association between children's dental caries experiences, dental plaque deposition and gingival health status were analysed by Negative Binomial Regression, Multiple Factor ANOVA and Binary Logistic Regression when appropriate.

Results

The proportion of children with caries, gingival inflammation, and plaque were 30.3%, 89.6%, and 95.0% respectively. Final regression models indicated that i) tooth decay was associated with dental‐visit experiences, night‐bottle feeding habit, fluoridated toothpaste, and monthly income; ii) plaque deposition were associated intellectual functioning, practical skills, night‐bottle feeding habit, use of toothpaste, initiation of tooth‐brushing habit, tooth‐brushing duration, and additional cleaning habit; iii) gingival status were associated with children's intellectual functioning and tooth‐brushing frequency.

Conclusions

Poor oral hygiene status existed among preschool children with special health care needs. Children's oral health status was associated with their developmental profile, oral health‐related behaviours and social‐economic status.

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