Method: A cross sectional descriptive study of 128 children aged between 1-21 years attending four outreach sites in Johannesburg was conducted. A convenient sample was collected at the sites and dental caries status was recorded through the dmft/ DMFT index using WHO criteria and guidelines by calibrated examiners. dmft/DMFT scores were ranked and Significant caries index (SiC) scores were calculated and compared with the dental caries data.
Result: The mean age of the participants was 5 years (SD 3.6) and 83 were male (65%) and 45 female (35%). Male participants had a caries prevalence of 71% compared to the female caries prevalence of 28%. The highest dmft score (4.5 SD 5.6) was found among the Cerebral palsy and the group with multiple neurological impairments (3.1 SD 4.2). When comparing dmft scores by type of disability, there was a significant difference between Cerebral palsy and Down’s syndrome (p=0.008). Statistically significant differences between the dmft and SiC scores were noted in the Cerebral palsy and Autism groups implying an uneven distribution of caries in these categories. These groups also recorded the highest unmet treatment needs of 100%.
Conclusion: Children with Cerebral palsy had higher caries prevalence compared to the rest of the conditions assessed in this cohort and all the children with Neurological impairments had high unmet treatment needs regardless of the type of disability.