adults with disabilities,5 who have a higher prevalence
and severity of oral disease when compared
to the general population.6 High rates of dental
caries, missing teeth, periodontal disease, prolonged
retention of primary teeth, misaligned or
supernumerary teeth and malocclusion are all
indicators of poor oral health in adults with disabilities.
7 Poor oral health has negative impact on
nutrition, digestion, the ability to chew and enjoy
food, facial shape and speech.8 Under-diagnosis
and differential oral health treatment contribute to
the poor oral health of adults with disabilities.9,10
The purpose of this study was to determine the
prevalence of dental caries (dmft and DMFT indexes)
and the oral hygiene status of 136 children
and young adults attending a special school for the
disabled.