Salivary biomarker levels and oral health status of children with autistic spectrum disorders: a comparative study.

AIM: To evaluate the oral health status, salivary flow rate, pH and buffering capacity in children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) in comparison to their healthy siblings. METHODS: A total of 30 subjects with ASD and 30 normal healthy siblings between the ages of 6-12 years of both genders attending various special schools and hospitals of Mangalore, India were recruited. Estimation of salivary pH, flow rate and buffering capacity were performed and oral health status was assessed using the WHO oral assessment form for children (World Health Organization in Oral health surveys: basic methods, World Health Organization, Geneva, 2013). The oral hygiene of the subjects was assessed using the oral hygiene index-simplified. Dental erosive lesions, presence of mucosal lesions and dental trauma were recorded for both the study and the control groups. RESULTS: It was observed that salivary pH and buffering capacity were lower in children with ASD than their healthy siblings, the dental caries incidence was higher in ASD children when compared to their healthy siblings and oral hygiene was fair with gingival bleeding in children with ASD. CONCLUSIONS: This study clearly indicates a need for better home care measures, parent, caregiver and institutional education on the importance of oral well-being among children with ASD.