Assessment of Oral and Dental Health Status in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Objectives: Evaluating oral and dental health status in Egyptian children with cerebral palsy (CP) in relation to gross motor skills and types of CP. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted at el-Shatby Hospital for Children, Alexandria, Egypt. Oral examination for 62 children with CP between the age range 3 and 12 years was performed, and decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth (DMFT)/decayed and filled primary teeth (dft), simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S), and modified gingival index (MGI) were charted. Maxillofacial defects, dental problems, and drooling of saliva were assessed. Children’s CP type, motor milestone, and gross motor skills were determined. All statistical analyses were carried out at p<0.05 and 0.01. Results: About 84.0% of children had spastic quadriplegia, 41.9% were sit-supported, 32.3% had level IV Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), 29.0% had level V no maxillofacial defects, 14.5% had dentin exposure greater than one-third of the surface, and 22.6% had frequent/severe drooling saliva. Caries prevalence comprised 54.8%, 53.2% had poor oral hygiene (OHI-S), and 43.6% had severe gingival inflammation (MGI). The first best predictor variable for dft was “motor milestone” The GMFCS (levels IV and V) was the first best predictor variable for DMFT, OHI-S, and MGI. Conclusion: The majority of children had dental caries, poor oral hygiene, and severe gingival inflammation. Children who were sit-supported, had no neck support, and stand-supported were suffering from dental caries (dft) more than children who were sitting and walking alone. Children with levels IV/V GMFCS were prone to have dental caries (DMFT), susceptible to suffer from bad oral hygiene, and older children experiencing severe gingivitis more than younger ones.