Oral Health Status and Treatment Need of Disabled Children in Rehabilitation School in Khon Kaen,Thailand

Abstract

Abstract

Background:  Dental caries, periodontal disease and malocclusion are common among Thai children.  Disabled children are thought less capable of taking care of themselves but are often missed by oral health campaigns.  We surveyed the oral health and treatment needs of disabled children at St. Gerard’s Children^’s Rehabilitation Center and Suksasongkrao School in Khon Kaen Thailand.

Objective: To   study oral health status and treatment need in the disabled children at St. Gerard’s Children^’s Rehabilitation Center and Suksasongkrao School in Khon Kaen province.

Design: Descriptive study.

Setting: St. Gerard’s Children^’s Rehabilitation Center in Central District and    Suksasongkrao  School  in   Banhaed  District   Khon Kaen Thailand.

Population: Disabled children  at  both schools.

Intervention:  Between December 1999 and November 2000, we assessed 95 disabled children; 40 from  St. Gerard’s and 55 from Suksasongkrao.  St. Gerard’s is in the Central District and Suksasongkrao School in Banhaed District, Khon Kaen province Northeast Thailand. Data on the children came from institutional records and questionnaires completed during interviews with teachers and care-givers and each child was examined for their oral health status with intention to treat.

Results: The prevalence of dental caries at St. Gerard’s and Suksasongkrao was 80 and 67 percent, respectively.  Decayed ,missing and filling of deciduous teeth (dmft) at both schools averaged 1.9 ± 3.4 teeth/person, while decayed ,missing and filling of permanent teeth ( DMFT)  averaged 2.0 ± 3.3. Sixty three and 56 percent of the children at St. Gerard’s and Suksasongkrao needed fillings on one side, 43 and 24 percent dental extraction, respectively.  Forty percent of the children at  St. Gerard’s had gingivitis  (1.3 ± 3.2 sextant/person)  vs. 55 percent at Suksasongkrao (2.6 ± 2.7 sextant/person).     The children at  St. Gerard’s and  Suksasongkrao had enamel defects

18 and 9 percent respectively.  Malocclusions at  St. Gerard’s  vs. Suksasongkrao  reached  48  vs. 67 percent, respectively.

Conclusion: A campaign to promote the dental and oral health among urban and rural disabled children is needed.