[Oral Health in Children and Adolescents with Mental Disability and Psycho-Emotional Disorders from Lower Saxony and Thuringia].

AIM: This study aimed to compare the oral health status of 6-16 year old pupils with mental disability (MD) and psycho-emotional disorders (PED) from Lower Saxony (LS) and Thuringia (TH). METHODS: Oral examination was provided for 571 pupils with MD from TH, 118 students with MD and 80 students with PED from LS. Caries experience, odontogenic infections, fissure sealants and periodontal health were recorded. Data were statistically analysed by linear and binary logistic regression after adjusting for age. RESULTS: Students with PED revealed highest caries prevalence and experience in both dentitions with highest prevalence of odontogenic infections in the primary dentition. In 6-11 year old pupils with MD, there were only minor differences in odontogenic infections between TH and LS. Pupils with PED aged 6-11 years had a more that two-fold higher risk to develop dental caries and odontogenic infections than peers with MD. Care index was higher in pupils with PED compared to those with MD in both dentitions. Pupils with MD from TH were less affected with dental caries and received better care than those from LS. Compared to peers without mental disabilities or disorders, pupils with MD or PED were more affected with dental caries in both dentitions. They revealed a lower care index and less fissure sealants. CONCLUSION: Pupils with MD or PED reveal unsatisfactory oral health status constituting a group with particular high caries risk, while those with PED are most affected by caries and odontogenic infections. The care index is insufficient especially in pupils with MD compared to those with PED or peers without disabilities and indicates disparity in oral health for this vulnerable group.