title: Oral health status of children and young adults with autism spectrum disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Individuals with special needs are often affected by oral disorders such as dental caries and periodontal disease. Current data regarding prevalence of these conditions in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to verify the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease in individuals with ASD, especially children and young adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Searches were conducted through MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases in December 2015. Studies were included if fulfilled the following eligibility criteria: to evaluate the oral health status of individuals with ASD; to be an observational study; and to assess the prevalence of dental caries and/or periodontal disease. Meta-analyses were conducted considering prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease in individuals as outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Search strategy identified 928 potentially relevant articles and seven of them were included in this review. All included studies reported dental caries prevalence, and the pooled prevalence was 60.6% (95% CI: 44.0-75.1). Moreover, only three studies showed prevalence of periodontal disease, resulting in pooled prevalence of 69.4% (95% CI: 47.6-85.0).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease in children and young adults with ASD can be considered as high, pointing to the need for oral health policies focused on these individuals.
authors: Graduation Program, School of Dentistry, Ibirapuera University, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Silvana Nunes
authors: SN
authors: da Silva
authors: Graduation Program, School of Dentistry, Ibirapuera University, Sao Paulo, Brazil.|University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Thais
authors: T
authors: Gimenez
authors: Pediatric Dentistry for Special Need Patients Course, São Leolpodo Mandic College, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Rafael Celestino
authors: RC
authors: Souza
authors: Graduation Program, School of Dentistry, Ibirapuera University, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Anna Carolina Volpi
authors: ACV
authors: Mello-Moura
authors: University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Daniela Prócida
authors: DP
authors: Raggio
authors: Graduation Program, School of Dentistry, Ibirapuera University, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Susana
authors: S
authors: Morimoto
authors: Dental Health Unit, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: Juan Sebastian
authors: JS
authors: Lara
authors: Graduation Program, School of Dentistry, Ibirapuera University, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Giovana Correia
authors: GC
authors: Soares
authors: Graduation Program, School of Dentistry, Ibirapuera University, Sao Paulo, Brazil.|University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Tamara Kerber
authors: TK
authors: Tedesco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D055815:Young Adult; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000150:complications; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D009909:Oral Health; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence