Research Article
Irina Totolici, Corneliu Am
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to investigate children of the Constanta School for the disabled and to ascertain the diseases encountered as well as the possible correlation with their handicap, along with the possibility of implementing certain oral health programs, carried out by the help of Dental Medicine students during the preventive and community dentistry clinical practices. 259 children aged 6 to 18 years old are registered in Constanta School for the disabled. Our study comprised a batch of children from grades I-IV, who are also subjected to oral rinses with fluoridated solution. 87 boys and girls aged 7-14 years old were examined according to a special clinical record. Our results show that the first place is taken by children with medium mental disability (50%), the second by children with slight mental disability (29%) and the last by those with severe mental disability (21%). Our data are similar to those in the literature, in which dental caries take the first place regarding the frequency. Thus, simple and complicated decay in temporary teeth is 40%, while in permanent teeth, it rises to 45%. Taking into account the specificity of the study batch and comparing our clinical data with those of other authors, made on normal children, we can state that the percentage of all diseases is much higher in disabled children, fact that triggers the need of applying oral prevention programs and individualized curative treatment methods in these patients.