Comparison of DMFT/dmft index, dental plaque and gingivitis of students aged 6-12 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder under drug treatment and without drug treatment with healthy children in Gorgan city

Background. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the second most common mental health problem in children. On the other hand, tooth decay is one of the most common chronic childhood disorders. Additionally, the studies conducted in this field had contradictory results. This study was conducted with the aim of comparing dmft/DMFT indices, plaque index, and gingival index in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in groups with and without drug treatment and healthy children. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, children aged 6-12 years with ADHD were included. They were divided into 3 groups: drug treatment (40 people), without drug treatment (40 people), and healthy children (40 people). All 3 groups had the same entry criteria in terms of age and gender. The DMFT/dmft index was used to determine the dental caries status. O'leary's plaque index was used for oral health status and the amount of plaque. To measure the gingival index (Loe and Silness), every patient's Ramfjord teeth were examined by walking the periodontal probe around the tooth. Data were analyzed using R software version 3.5.1. Results. The untreated group (3.25±1.95) and the healthy group (1.83±1.35) had the highest and lowest mean DMFT values, respectively. The mean dmft value in the untreated group was 5.3±1.82 and it was 3.78±1.27 in the healthy group. The highest PI and GI belonged to the untreated group. There was a statistically significant difference in dmft and DMFT values among different groups (P= 0.001); in other words, the difference between healthy and untreated groups and between healthy and treated groups was significant. There was a significant relationship between ADHD and gingival index. The plaque index had no significant relationship with ADHD. Conclusion. The mean DMFT and dmft values in children with ADHD were higher compared to healthy children. There was a significant relationship between ADHD and gingival index, and plaque index was not significantly related to ADHD. Therefore, proper health education, parental attention, monitoring, detailed dental examinations at regular intervals, and timely treatment of problems are recommended. Practical Implications. Given that the levels of DMFT and DMFT are higher in children with ADHD than in healthy children, proper hygiene education, parental attention, as well as monitoring and careful dental examinations at regular intervals and timely treatment of problems are recommended.