Oral health conditions in Italian Special Olympics athletes

During three Italian Special Olympics National Games, 365 athletes were screened. Dental and medical conditions and demographic data were recorded. The athletes were divided into two groups: those with Down syndrome (DS) and those without DS but who had intellectual disabilities (non-DS).
Most of the subjects were in good systemic health. Total DMFt was 10.3 (SD 5.8; D = 1.3; M = 6.1; F = 2.8). Decayed and filled teeth were significantly more frequent in athletes who did not have DS compared to those with DS. No significant differences were found between the two groups in the number of subjects with filled, sealed, or traumatized teeth.
Athletes with DS and without DS who participated in the Italian Special Olympics had a similar oral status, which was better than Italian persons who were institutionalized and who had an intellectual disability.     

Special Olympics: The oral health status of U.S. athletes compared with international athletes

The Healthy Athletes Special Smiles Program provides oral health screening and data collection for athletes with mental retardation who are participating in Special Olympic events. Recently, data regarding international athletes have become available for the first time, allowing a comparison against data collected in the United States. The international athletes from the countries of China, Lebanon, Poland, South Africa, and Turkey were generally younger than those of the United States (mean age 17.4 versus 24.0 years) and were more likely to be males (64.3 versus 54.6%). The international athletes were more likely to have untreated caries (50.1 versus 28.2%), and less likely to have restorations (19.6 versus 62.9%), sealants (1.8 versus 13.5%), fluorosis (3.5 versus 8.8%), signs of gingival disease (27.8 versus 40.1%), or to be edentulous (0.1 versus 3.7%). These relationships persisted after adjustment for sex and age differences between the populations.     

Oral health findings in athletes with intellectual disabilities at the NYC Special Olympics

This study collected data to describe the oral health in Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disabilities from New York City, using the standardized Special Olympics, Special Smiles protocol. A total of 664 self‐selected athletes with intellectual disabilities were screened between 2005 and 2008. A standardized form was used for data collection. Screenings were performed using available light or flashlight, tongue depressor, and disposable mirror. Oral hygiene, reports of oral pain, untreated caries, missing and filled teeth were recorded. The majority of the athletes were 20 years of age or older (52%). Of the examined athletes, 9% reported oral pain, 8% needed urgent care, 28% had untreated caries, 60% had filled teeth, and 32% had signs of gingival disease. Mouthguards were recommended for 26% of athletes. Our findings offer an initial evaluation of the oral health of Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disabilities in New York City. Results showed high preventive and restorative oral health needs in the Special Olympics population.     

Intellectual disability and impact on oral health: a paired study

The objective was to assess the oral health status, the treatment needed, and the type of dental health services access of intellectually disabled (ID) subjects in Teresina, Brazil. The sample consisted of 103 ID subjects matriculated in centers for special needs people and 103 siblings. Results were analyzed using paired t‐test, chi‐square test, and odds ratio. ID subjects had fair (63.1%; p < .001) and their siblings had a good oral hygiene (n = 103 [55.3%]; p < .005). ID had more decayed (3.52; p < .005), and missing teeth (1.17; p = .001), fewer dental restorations (1.67; p = .012) and had a greater need for tooth extraction (21.4%; p = .002) than their siblings. Thirty percent of ID subjects had never received dental treatment and had difficulty accessing public health services. Their treatment needs were, therefore, higher than non‐ID subjects. The access to oral health services was unsatisfactory, thus it is important to implement educational and health promotion inclusion policies for people with ID.     

The oral health status of 4,732 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

BackgroundTwo reports by the U.S. surgeon general noted the disproportionate impact of oral disease on and lack of oral health information regarding people with disabilities.MethodsIn this retrospective study, the authors used clinical and demographic data (from April 1, 2009, through March 31, 2010) from electronic dental records of 4,732 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) who were receiving dental care through a state-supported system of dental clinics. The authors used these data to investigate the oral health status of, and associated risk factors for, adults with IDD.ResultsThe prevalence of untreated caries in the study population was 32.2 percent, of periodontitis was 80.3 percent and of edentulism was 10.9 percent. The mean (standard deviation) numbers of decayed teeth; missing teeth; and decayed, missing and filled teeth were 1.0 (2.2), 6.7 (7.0) and 13.9 (7.7), respectively.ConclusionsManagement of oral health presents significant challenges in adults with IDD. Age, ability to cooperate with dental treatment and type of residence are important considerations in identifying preventive strategies.Clinical ImplicationsThe study population demonstrated a high burden of dental disease. Further research is required to identify effective interventions to improve oral health in adults with IDD.     

ARTICLE: Oral health condition and treatment needs of Special Olympics athletes in Nigeria

Special Olympics (SO) athletes in many parts of the world were reported to have poor oral health and high unmet treatment needs. This study was carried out to determine the oral health condition and treatment needs of SO athletes in Nigeria and to suggest ways of improving access to oral healthcare. Consenting athletes who participated in SO events in Nigeria from 2007 to 2008 received oral examination and evaluation by trained volunteers, using standardized Special Smiles screening forms and procedures designed for the event. A total of 1,286 athletes aged 3 to 71 years, 480 (37.3%) females and 806 (62.7%) males, participated in the screening. The majority (86.1%) cleaned their mouths once daily, 12.2% complained of pain, 21.1% had untreated decay, 6.6% had dental injury, 48.1% had gingival signs suggestive of periodontal disease, 15.8% required urgent treatment, and 43.7% required non‐urgent treatment. We found that the oral health of SO athletes in this study was poorer than that of the general population in Nigeria.     

Interdisciplinary approach to oral health for persons with developmental disabilities

The aim of this interdisciplinary study was to survey the oral health among persons with developmental disabilities (PDD), and to evaluate the impact of the routine referral process at a regional center in Los Angeles, California. This study evaluated the subjects' oral health, access to care, oral health behaviors, and adherence to referrals. The study recruited 102 subjects (74% were African American or Hispanic). Among them, 24% reported brushing their teeth less than once a day, and 68% had dental insurance. The prevalence of leukoplakia was 4% and the prevalence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) clicking and pain were 11% and 9%, respectively. Their decayed, missing, filled (DMF) equaled 14 points with 7 missing teeth. The subjects' DMF index was poorer compared to the general population. The routine referral process was not effective in improving the subjects' access to dental care. More sophisticated referral systems need to be developed for this population.     

Comparison of oral health status of young persons from Dunedin, New Zealand, and Heidelberg, Australia

This study compared the oral health status of 600 6-16-yr-old young persons: 297 from Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia (an area of recent water fluoridation and a predominantly marketplace delivery system) and 303 from Dunedin, New Zealand (an area with established water fluoridation and a long-standing school based public delivery system). A greater proportion of Heidelberg subjects, in each of three age groups, were caries free. Level of dental plaque varied both with study area and with age group. Dunedin subjects in the younger age groups had lower mean levels of plaque than their Heidelberg peers. The New Zealand dental service delivery system was consistently closer, in each age group, to meeting defined dental needs than the Australian system. The similarities and contrasts between this study and the WHO-ICS illustrate the importance for planners to consider carefully differences in local conditions which may affect service and morbidity projections.     

Clinical factors and self‐perceived oral health

Self‐perceived oral health is affected not only by awareness of the clinical status but also by comparisons with people of a similar age. This study explored the relative contributions of clinical variables assessing caries, periodontal status, and prosthetic status to self‐perceived oral health within two age groups. Data of 891 adults (35–44 yr of age) and 760 older people (65–74 yr of age) from the Fourth German Oral Health Study (DMS IV, 2005) were evaluated. Self‐perceived oral health was obtained from questionnaires. Numbers of decayed, filled, and unreplaced teeth, mean attachment loss, bleeding on probing (BOP), the presence of a fixed denture, and the presence of a removable denture were assessed. Multinomial logistic regression models were developed for both age groups, separately, using stepwise methods. For adults, unreplaced teeth, filled teeth, decayed teeth, the presence of a removable denture, and mean attachment loss were added to the final model. For older people, the presence of a removable denture, unreplaced teeth, decayed teeth, mean attachment loss, filled teeth, and BOP were included in the final model. Awareness of the relative contributions of clinical variables to self‐perceived oral health is important for obtaining a clearer understanding of patients' subjective and objective self‐perceptions of oral health.