Abstract
The objective of this investigation was to elucidate the relationship between the level of support required, based on Disability Support Level assessment, and oral health conditions, as well as the degree of cooperation in oral care among individuals with intellectual disabilities. The participants of this study were 101 individuals residing in a residential general support facility for people with intellectual disabilities in Niigata.
The results revealed that there were no notable distinctions in the dental health condition including the number of remaining teeth, sound teeth, and decayed, missing, and filled teeth among individuals with various Disability Support Levels. However, a significant association was observed between the Disability Support Level and the degree of cooperation in oral care, with the degree of cooperation decreasing as the disability support category became higher. Identical results were also observed in the activities of daily living (ADL) assessment. More individuals with “support needed” in ADL self-sufficiency for the six items of getting up, standing up, putting on/taking off clothes, recognizing risks, bathing, and eating demonstrated a low degree of cooperation in oral care. In contrast, more individuals with “self-support” in ADL self-sufficiency for the five items of putting on/taking off clothes, recognizing risks, bathing, urinating, and eating demonstrated a high degree of cooperation.
These results suggest that Disability Support Levels have a limited influence on the dental health condition of individuals with intellectual disabilities residing in a facility with routine dental interventions. Obtaining cooperation for maintaining oral health becomes increasingly challenging as support needs increase. Furthermore, the results of the ADL evaluation imply that assessing the degree of cooperation in oral care based on the general level of support needed may be enhanced by considering the level of independence in activities requiring intellectual ability, specifically the items related to personal care and daily living, as indicated in the certification survey for Disability Support Levels, for effective screening.
