Factors Associated with the Caregivers' Perception of the Oral Health of Individuals with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate factors associated with the caregivers' perception of the oral health of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 80 children and adolescents with cerebral palsy aged 2-18 years, registered at a reference institution and their respective caregivers. Caregivers provided socioeconomic, systemic and health perception and access to dental services data. A calibrated researcher (Kappa=0.75-0.98) performed oral examinations using DMF-T, dmf-t, dental trauma, gingival bleeding index, community periodontal index, malocclusion index and the dental aesthetic index. The Poisson Regression was used (alpha=0.05). Results: According to the caregivers' perception, the oral health reports of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy considered good and poor was 73.8% and 26.3%, respectively. The poor oral health perception is associated with the presence of dental caries in anterior teeth (PR 1.34, 95% CI=1.11-1.63) and bleeding during tooth brushing (PR 1.20, 95% CI=1.04-1.40). Conclusion: Children and adolescents with cerebral palsy who presented lesions of caries in the anterior teeth and gingival bleeding during tooth brushing, more frequently, had poor oral health by their caregivers.