Journal of Oral Health and Community Dentistry

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VOLUME 6 , ISSUE 1 ( January-April, 2012 ) > List of Articles

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Periodontal Health Status of A Group of (Non-Institutionalized) Mentally Disabled Children in Khartoum State

NT Hashim, B Gobara, I Ghandour

Citation Information : Hashim N, Gobara B, Ghandour I. Periodontal Health Status of A Group of (Non-Institutionalized) Mentally Disabled Children in Khartoum State. J Oral Health Comm Dent 2012; 6 (1):10-13.

DOI: 10.5005/johcd-6-1-10

License: NA

Published Online: 01-05-2015

Copyright Statement:  NA


Abstract

Aim

The aim of this study is to assess the periodontal health status and its determinants among a group of mentally disabled children in Khartoum State and to compare it with a control group of children of normal intelligence.

Methods

Thirty seven mentally disabled children aged 8-10 years were examined at five centres of mentally disabled children in Khartoum State. A control group with normal intelligence quotient of a similar age and socioeconomic status was selected from schools nearby the centres visited. Both mentally disabled children and the children in the control group were examined for their plaque index, gingival index and periodontal pocket depth. A comparison was made between the mentally disabled children and the healthy children as well as between the subgroups of the mentally disabled children (mild, moderate, and severe). Questionnaires concerning the degree of mental disability, level of parent education, role of parents toward child oral health, were also used.

Results

The results revealed that the mentally disabled children showed higher scores of plaque and gingival index (1.9, 1.7 respectively) when compared with the plaque and gingival index of the control group (0.6, 0.6 respectively). No increase in gingival sulcus depth in both study and control group was found. According to the degree of mental disability there was statistically significant difference in plaque and gingival index among the mild, moderate and severe subgroups (P=0.001), the plaque and gingival index tend to increase with the severity of mental retardation. Conclusion. Mentally disabled children showed more plaque when compared with healthy controls. Periodontal disease was more prevalent among mentally disabled children as presented in the form of gingivitis and the degree of severity depends on the degree of mental disability.


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