Oral health status and treatment needs among institutionalized deaf children in the middle region of Iraq .

Abstract

A deaf child from birth has experienced disturbed leaming which affecthis/her intellectual skills, social environment and emotional relation ship. There forethis oral health survey was conducted among 519 deaf persons and 532 students aged61-5 years in the middle region of Iraq (Baghdad, Anbar, Diyala, Salah AlDeen ,Bayblon and Kerbala). The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare theoral health status and treatment needs of deaf persons and students in the samegeographical area. Results showed that 40.66% of deaf persons were caries freecompared to schools students 33.46%; dmfs mean value of deaf persons was found tobe lower (3.935 :l: 0.312) than that of students (4.252 dc 0,277) while DMF S meanvalue in deaf persons was higher (0.763 1 0.095) than that recorded in students (0.603)080.6 6 with no statistically significant difference. Higher percentage of deaf personand schools students were found in need of two or more surface restoration 30.44% ,%30804 respectively. Deaf persons demonstrated a higher mean plaque index value68051( t 0.012) and gingival index value (1.098 i 0.914 i 0.012) respectively, soefforts should be made to ensure access to preventive care .