부산대학교 도서관

Aim and objectives: Epidemiological data concerning oral health status ofindividuals with disabilities is sparse and most studies do not include the assessment ofnoncavitated lesions. This study aimed to evaluate noncavitated and cavitated carious lesions and oral hygiene status of students with disabilities in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Design: Participants included 285 students aged 6-15 years with visual impairment, hearing impairment or physical disability who attended special needs schools in Khon Kaen. Dental caries was examined using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (lCDAS II). Oral hygiene was assessed using Silness and Loe plaque index (PI). Results: Almost all students had at least one noncavitated or cavitated lesion (97.1 % in primary and 95.4% in permanent dentition). When considering only cavitated lesions, the prevalence was 90.6% in primary and 69.1% in permanent dentition. The overall mean ( ±standard deviation) dmft, dmfs, DMFT and DMFS scores were 6.3±4.6, 17.6±16.1, 9.7±6.1 and 16.0±11.0, respectively. The mean number ofnon cavitated surfaces (3.4±3.4) was lower than that of cavitated surfaces (l1.8±13.5) in the primary dentition, but the opposite trend was observed in the permanent dentition: noncavitated (12.3±8.5) and cavitated (2.7±3.9) surfaces. Most carious lesions remained untreated in all groups. The overall PI score was 1.4±0.4 demonstrating a moderate level oforal hygiene. Conclusions: Students with disabilities experienced high levels ofboth noncavitated and cavitated lesions. Effective preventive measures are required to improve the oral health of this disadvantaged group.