Oral health status and treatment needs of hearing impaired children attending a special school in Bhimavaram, India.
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Date
2016-01
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Abstract
Background: Children with hearing impairment (CHI) have special accessibility issues to meet
their health care needs. Their oral health status is deprived and has wide ranging treatment
needs to attend.
Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral health status and treatment needs of CHI
attending a special school in Bhimavaram Town, India.
Study Design: The study design was a descriptive cross‑sectional study.
Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in November 2012 at SVS special school
for deaf, Bhimavaram, India. This study involved 180 CHI of both genders, aged 6–16 years,
divided into Group‑I (6–8 years), Group‑II (9–12 years), and Group‑III (13–16 years). Oral health
status and treatment needs were recorded using methods and standards recommended by the
WHO for Oral Health Surveys, 1997. Dental caries prevalence (decayed, missing, and filled
teeth [DMFT/dmft]), gingivitis levels (Löe, Silness Gingival Index), plaque levels (Silness, Löe
Plaque index), and treatment needs were the parameters recorded and analyzed.
Statistical Analysis: Z‑test for proportion, one‑way analysis of variance, and Chi‑square test
were used to analyze the data.
Results: Prevalence of dental caries in the sample was found to be 65% with a mean level of caries
prevalence (DMFT) of 1.6 ± 1.3 in Group‑I, 1.9 ± 1.2 in Group‑II, and 2.2 ± 1.2 in Group‑III.
About 91.7% of the total children examined needs treatment. The mean plaque and gingivitis
scores of the sample were 1.70 ± 0.61 and 1.59 ± 0.58, respectively.
Conclusion: These findings imply the overwhelming situation of CHI in oral health perspective.
Hence, prevention‑based educational and motivational programs should be targeted to this vital
group to achieve adequate oral hygiene levels.
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Keywords
Gingival index, hearing impairment, oral health education, plaque index, visual instruction
Citation
Sandeep V, Kumar Manikya, Vinay C, Chandrasekhar R, Jyostna P. Oral health status and treatment needs of hearing impaired children attending a special school in Bhimavaram, India. Indian Journal of Dental Research. 2016 Jan-Feb; 27(1): 73-77.