title: Oral health evaluation in special needs individuals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the prevalence of the main oral problems present in special needs children and to relate the underlying conditions with the clinical and demographic variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was based on the physical examination of 47 students from the Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Excepcionais diagnosed as Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and intellectual deficit. For data collection, we used a self-administered questionnaire that included indices of dental caries and oral hygiene, Angle classification, malposition of dental groups and oral hygiene habits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The predominant age group was 12-25 years (46.8%) and most patients were male (55.3%). Regarding daily brushing, 63.8% reported brushing their teeth three times a day, and 85.1% did it by themselves. A total of 48.9% were rated as Angle class I, and 25.5% had no type of malocclusion. A high dental carries index (decayed, missing, filled >10) was observed in 44.7%, and 53.2% had inadequate oral hygiene (zero to 1.16). There was a statistically significant difference between cerebral palsy and the act of the participants brushing their teeth by themselves.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a high decayed-missing-filled teeth index and malocclusion class I, as well as inadequate oral hygiene. The type of underlying condition of the participants influenced the act of brushing teeth by themselves.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Conhecer a prevalência dos principais problemas bucais em crianças com necessidades especiais, e relacionar as doenças de base com variáveis clínicas e demográficas.
  O estudo foi realizado a partir de exame clínico em 47 alunos da Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Excepcionais com diagnóstico médico de síndrome de Down, paralisia cerebral e deficit intelectual. Para a coleta de dados, foi utilizado um questionário autoaplicativo com índices de cárie dentária e higiene oral, classificação de Angle, malposição de grupos dentários e hábitos de higiene oral.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A faixa etária predominante foi de 12 a 25 anos (46,8%) e a maioria era do sexo masculino (55,3%). Em relação à escovação dentária, 63,8% relataram escovar os dentes três vezes ao dia, sendo que 85,1% realizavam-na sozinhos. Constatou-se que 48,9% dos examinados apresentavam uma classificação de Angle tipo I e 25,5% não apresentavam qualquer tipo de maloclusão. Os avaliados (44,7%) apresentaram alto índice de cárie dentária (cariados, perdidos e obturados >10) e 53,2% apresentaram higiene oral inadequada (zero a 1,16). Houve diferença estatisticamente significativa entre a paralisia cerebral e o ato de escovar os dentes sozinho.
  Constataram-se altos índices de cárie e de maloclusão classe I, além de inadequada higiene oral. Houve influência do tipo de patologia de base na realização do ato de escovar os dentes sozinhos.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade Meridional, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danielle de Moraes
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Pini
authors.affiliation: Faculdade Meridional, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula Cristina Gil Ritter
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Fröhlich
authors.affiliation: Faculdade Meridional, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rigo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002547:Cerebral Palsy; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D004314:Down Syndrome; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000592:standards*; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult