Oral Health Status and Barriers to At-home Oral Care among Intellectually Disabled Children Attending Special Schools in Bengaluru City, India

Aim: To determine the oral health status of intellectually disabled (ID) children enrolled in specialized schools in Bengaluru, India, and to investigate the problems and challenges encountered by parents and caretakers in delivering daily oral care for their children. Materials and methods: The dental health status of 121 children with ID (8–15 years) was evaluated, and parents were interviewed through a questionnaire. Caries status, oral hygiene status, and periodontal status were assessed using decayed, missing, and filled primary teeth/decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth (dmft/DMFT), Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S), and Community Periodontal Index (CPI), respectively. Results: The majority of the subjects were dependent on caretakers for brushing. The most common problems reported by caretakers while providing daily oral care were subjects not opening their mouths (82.2%) and turning away their heads (71.2%). The majority of caretakers identified three main barriers in providing daily oral care: inadequate knowledge on how to perform it, insufficient time, and physical resistance by the children. More than half of the caretakers (58.7%) felt comfortable providing at-home oral care. The mean DMFT, dmft, OHI-S, and CPI of the study population were 4.41, 3.78, 2.01, and 1.67, respectively, and the caries prevalence was 74.4%. Conclusion: The current study underscores that ID children exhibit significant oral health challenges. Caregiver insights reveal notable barriers to at-home oral care, highlighting their influence on exacerbating oral health disparities in this vulnerable population. Clinical significance: Children with ID have poor oral health and rely on their parents or caretakers for routine oral hygiene practices. Therefore, enhancing their knowledge, skills, and compliance could positively influence the dental health of these children.