Oral health and nutritional status of children with cerebral palsy in northeastern peninsular Malaysia. (27th November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ahmad, Rathmawati; Rahman, Normastura Abd; Hasan, Ruhaya; Yaacob, Nik Soriani; Ali, Siti Hawa
• Is Part Of: Special care in dentistry. Volume 40:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: 62
• Page End: 70
• Publication Date: 2019-11-27
• Subjects: children with cerebral palsy -- nutritional status -- oral health; People with disabilities -- Dental care -- Periodicals; Older people -- Dental care -- Periodicals; Hospital dental service -- Periodicals; Dental Care for Disabled -- Periodicals; Dental Service, Hospital -- Periodicals; Geriatric Dentistry -- Periodicals; 617.60087
• DOI: 10.1111/scd.12436
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0275-1879

Abstract

Abstract: Aims: To investigate the oral health and nutritional status of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods and results: Oral health assessment included dental caries and dental plaque maturity scores (DPMS) while the nutritional assessment included children's height‐for‐age Z‐score (HAZ), body mass index‐for‐age Z‐score (BAZ), mid‐upper‐arm circumference (MUAC), nutrient intake, cariogenic food frequency (CFF) and daily sugar exposure (DSE). Ninety‐three CP children were recruited. The prevalence of caries was 81.7% (95% CI: 72.7%‐88.3%). The median (IQR) of the DMFT and dft scores were 0.5(4.0) and 3.0(8.0), respectively. Most of the participants had acid‐producing plaque (90.3%), severely stunted (81.4%), and 45% were severely thin with acute malnutrition. Intakes of calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D and total fat were below 77% of the Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Malaysian children (RNI 2017). Nine types of cariogenic foods/drinks were consumed moderately, and DSE indicated that 45% of the children were at moderate risk of dental caries. Conclusion: Untreated dental caries, severe stunting and thinness were prevalent, and cariogenic foods/drinks were consumed moderately suggesting a moderate risk of caries. Therefore, controlling cariogenic food intake is crucial, but monitoring daily nutrient intake is needed for the optimum growth of children with CP.