Abstract
Purpose: The importance of dental care and oral hygiene is often underestimated in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Comorbidity with dental anxiety is greater in ASD subjects who also show unusual reactions to sensory stimuli. The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy for a sensory-adapted environment and targeted methods in reducing anxiety and positively influencing cooperation in children with ASD during a dental examination or specific treatments. Material and methods: The sample consisted of 50 Italian children with a diagnosis of ASD (36 males and 14 females; aged 9–10 years) presenting with mild intellectual disability (ID) and verbal language skills. The subjects enrolled in the study had at least two decayed teeth and all were treated in two different dental environments: regular dental environment (RDE) and sensory-adapted dental environment (SADE). Results: 20% of the sample was successfully treated in RDE, while 68% of subjects were successfully treated in SADE. Conclusions: Results suggest that a sensory-adapted environment positively affects the therapeutic dental treatment in patients with ASD and reaffirm that sensory dysregulation in children with ASD is a crucial factor influencing the successful outcome of oral care.
Highlights
Dental care and oral health are very important and are a crucial aspect in the overall health and quality of life for individuals
The inclusion criteria were: (a) a stable diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) made by expert qualified psychologists [12] following the DSM-5 criteria and after the administration of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (C.A.R.S.) [13], Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) [14], and Autism Diagnostic Interview—Revised (ADI-R) [15]; (b) having at least two permanent teeth with caries in class I; and (c) absence of comorbid psychiatric or neurological pathologies
All subjects received a stable diagnosis of ASD by expert qualified psychologists according to the DSM-5 criteria and after administration of C.A.R.S., ADOS, and ADI-R; they presented with mild intellectual disability (ID) (IQ ranging from 50 to 70) and verbal language skills in the absence of concomitant psychiatric and neurological pathologies
Summary
Dental care and oral health are very important and are a crucial aspect in the overall health and quality of life for individuals. The World Health Organization has stressed the importance of oral health among the health topics that each Member State should pursue This topic, does not attract a great deal of attention and is often disregarded and undervalued in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who present with abnormalities in communication, socialization, and restricted-repetitive behavioral patterns. Such difficulties, occurring in children from their earliest years of life and in different ways, are classified according to the severity of symptoms and are often associated with intellectual disability (ID). A total of 10 articles were found for ASD and six for sensory
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