scholarly journals Oral Health Status of Children with Autism in Central Italy

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 2247
Author(s):  
Maurizio Bossù ◽  
Mario Trottini ◽  
Denise Corridore ◽  
Gianni Di Giorgio ◽  
Gian Luca Sfasciotti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Oral Health Status ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Caries Prevalence ◽  
Health Indices ◽  
Children With Asd

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have significantly higher prevalence and caries severity compared to the average population. Knowledge about the oral health indices of children with this mental disorder is key to designing efficient plans of intervention. This paper reports the results of a study on the oral health status of children with ASD in central Italy. This is the first study of this type in Italy. The sample consists of 229 autistic children aged between 5 and 14 years, attending the Unit of Special Needs Policlinico Umberto I in Rome. Each patient received an intraoral examination to investigate decayed, missing, and filled teeth as well as periodontal status. Information on demographic attributes, dietary habits, medical history, and child’s cooperativeness at the first visit was also recorded. Of the participants, 79.26% presented signs of gingivitis and about 90% of them had plaque. Caries prevalence was 66.38%. The average of the total number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth in the permanent and primary dentition was 2.91. Among the factors considered, only dietary habits and the periodontal indices showed statistically significant association with caries prevalence and caries severity. Despite the selection bias, that prevents us to interpret the results presented as epidemiological evidence, our study suggests that children with ASD in central Italy represent a population at risk.

Association Between Feeding Problems and Oral Health Status in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (12) ◽  
pp. 4997-5008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Leiva-García ◽  
Elena Planells ◽  
Paloma Planells del Pozo ◽  
Jorge Molina-López
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Oral Health Status ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Feeding Problems

scholarly journals Diet Implications and Oral Health Status of Women in Central Italy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia Zumbo ◽  
Micaela Costacurta ◽  
Francesca Zara ◽  
Nicola Pranno ◽  
Margherita Ceravolo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Oral Hygiene ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Oral Health Status ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Italian Women

Abstract Objective The relationships between oral health habits, dietary practices, and oral health status, as well as general health status, in the population of Italian women, are complex, with many mutual and interrelating factors. The purpose of this study is to investigate oral habits, oral status, and dietary habits of a sample of women in Italy, highlighting the links between nutrition and oral health and discussing how oral health care professionals can integrate nutrition counseling that aimed at improving the oral health of their patients into their practices. Materials and Methods In the period between February 2020 and July 2020, an anonymous questionnaire made up of 20 questions was administered to a randomized sample of 120 Italian women. Results Most of women declare good manual skills in oral hygiene (50%) but just less than half of them brushes their teeth more than three times a day. Statistically significant correlations were found between frequency of dental checkups and dental mobility (p = 0.036), and halitosis (p = 0.006), as well as between frequency of flossing and gum bleeding. Correlation between the type of diet and oral health status showed more halitosis (∼21%), sensitivity (∼26%), and xerostomia (∼53.3%) for vegetarian and vegan women. Conclusion More awareness need to be raised concerning oral hygiene habits, and regarding the importance of regular dental checkups. Brushing at least twice or three times a day needs to be encouraged and the valid support of dental aids has to be in the everyday domestic oral hygiene protocol, as scientific evidence demonstrates. Future clinical studies need to be performed on a more consistent number of vegetarian and vegan patients, to obtain more statistically significant results and support future research that will compare omnivorous, vegetarian, and vegan diets and their influence on oral health status.

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