Malocclusion complexity and orthodontic treatment need in children with autism spectrum disorder

Perceptions of Parents/Caregivers About the Impact of Oral Conditions on the Quality of Life of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

PURPOSE

To investigate the perceptions of parents/caregivers about the impact of oral conditions on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children/adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to the perceptions of parents/caregivers of children/adolescents without ASD.

METHODS

A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted involving 80 children/adolescents with ASD three to 16 years of age matched by sex and age with 80 children/adolescents without ASD and their parents/caregivers. Clinical examinations were performed for the diagnosis of dental caries experience (DMFT/dmft), clinical consequences of untreated dental caries (PUFA/pufa), visible plaque (VPI), bleeding on probing (BPI), malocclusion and traumatic dental injury (TDI). Parents/caregivers answered a questionnaire addressing sociodemographic characteristics and the Brazilian version of the Parental-Caregiver Perceptions Questionnaire (P-CPQ), which measures OHRQoL from the perspective of parents/caregivers. Data analysis involved the Wilcoxon test, chi-squared test and Poisson regression.

RESULTS

Dental caries experience impacted OHRQoL in the group with ASD regarding the total P-CPQ score (p < 0.001) as well as the "oral symptoms" (p = 0.011) and "wellbeing" (p < 0.011) domains. No differences were found between the perceptions of parents/caregivers of children/adolescents with ASD and perceptions of parents/caregivers of children/adolescents without ASD (p = 0.721).

CONCLUSION

Dental caries experience can have a negative impact on the OHRQoL of children/adolescents with ASD.

Oral habits, sociopsychological orthodontic needs, and sociodemographic factors perceived by caregivers impact oral health-related quality of life in children with and without autism?

BACKGROUND

Caregivers play a crucial role in assessing the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of young individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

AIM

This study assessed the impact of sociodemographic and oral conditions on OHRQoL and family dynamics in young individuals with and without autism, as perceived by guardians.

DESIGN

This comparative cross-sectional study included young individuals aged 6 to 14 years and their guardians. Data were collected at a specialized institution and dental schools. Guardians completed the Parental-Caregiver Perceptions Questionnaire (P-CPQ), Family Impact Scale (FIS), and sociodemographic and oral habits questionnaires. The sociopsychological need for orthodontic treatment was assessed using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN).

RESULTS

The sample included 144 youths and caregivers. The ASD group had higher P-CPQ and FIS scores. Factors associated with poorer perceived OHRQoL included higher youth age, lower caregiver education, higher IOTN scores, teeth clenching (RR = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.01-1.41), and lip sucking. Lower parental education (RR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.10-2.80) and higher IOTN scores from the caregiver's perspective impacted family dynamics.

CONCLUSION

Caregivers of young individuals with ASD perceived a lower OHRQoL, and families in this group were more affected by sociodemographic and oral conditions.

Cross-bite and oral habits among Albanian autistic children according to the stages of occlusal development

This study had two aims. First, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of ACB, PCB, and oral habits among a group of Albanian children with ASD compared with a group of children without ASD. Second, we aimed to identify the associations of ASD with ACB, PCB, and oral habits. The sample inlcuded 125 children with ASD (91 males, 34 females) from 2 special schools for children with disabilities and 2 daily residential centers in Tirana. The control group included 125 children without ASD. The relationships between categorical variables were evaluated via the chi-square test. To identify the potential risk factors for ASD, we performed binary logistic regression. No statistically significant differences were found for CB or oral habits between the primary and adolescent dentition stages. A comparison of children with ASD with CB and oral habits revealed a significant difference in the prevalence of PCB. Binary logistic regression revealed that ACB, PCB and oral habits were not associated with ASD. CB was more prevalent among children with ASD in the primary and mixed dentition stages. Oral habits were more prevalent in the mixed and adolescent dentition stages. However, ASD is not a risk factor for CB or other oral habits.