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The incidence of dental caries in children and adolescents who have cerebral palsy and are participating in a dental program in Brazil
Author(s) -
Ferreira de Camargo Marcela Aparecida,
Frias Antonio Carlos,
Antunes José Leopoldo Ferreira
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
special care in dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.328
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1754-4505
pISSN - 0275-1879
DOI - 10.1111/j.1754-4505.2011.00213.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cerebral palsy , incidence (geometry) , poisson regression , pediatrics , socioeconomic status , dentistry , population , dental health , physical therapy , environmental health , physics , optics
The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of caries among children and adolescents who have cerebral palsy. The authors conducted baseline and follow‐up dental examinations of 118 children and adolescents with cerebral palsy in a specialized healthcare unit in São Paulo, Brazil. Family care‐givers completed a questionnaire that provided socioeconomic and behavioral information. The analysis used multivari‐ate Poisson regression models adjusted for age. More than half (52.5%) of the subjects had at least one permanent or deciduous tooth affected by new caries during the longitudinal assessment (2004–2008). The incidence of caries was associated with the baseline prevalence of caries (incidence ratio = 1.92), a higher frequency of sugar intake (IR = 1.56), and having at least one sibling (IR = 1.64). Participants whose family care‐givers had more education had a significantly lower incidence (IR = 0.68). The factors associated with a higher incidence of caries are similar to those in the general population. This evidence can potentially be used to develop an effective oral health promotion program for these patients.