Factors affecting the oral condition of patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Handicapped persons living in nursing homes have special risks for oral diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the specific factors related to the occurrence of dental caries and tooth extraction in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (PSMI) residing in an institution.

METHODS: One hundred eighty-nine PSMI residing in a single institution in Japan were followed for 3 years. Oral examinations were conducted at baseline and 3 years later. The following items were investigated: age of subject at admission, period of institutionalization, age at baseline oral examination, status of rumination, drooling, type of ward, dietary mode, and etiology of the impairment. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine factors associated with new dental caries and tooth extraction occurring during the study period.

RESULTS: By multivariate analysis, rumination and tube feeding were identified as significant factors associated with new dental caries. On the other hand, infancy or childhood impairment and drooling were identified as significant factors related to tooth extraction.

CONCLUSION: Some specific factors in this patient population affect the dental caries and tooth extraction and oral programs targeting these factors may reduce dental degeneration in these patients.