Abstract
A study on the current status of dental treatment was conducted in a certain welfare institution for children with severe mental and physical disabilities in Tokyo over the past 19 years, and the results suggested that the caries prevalence rates tended to be low in a specific ward there. Thirty-five children (16 girls,19 boys) in that ward were selected for this study and divided into two groups according to feeding method: 25 in the tube fed group (11 girls,14 boys) and 10 in the orally fed group (5girls,5 boys). The subjects were clinically assessed in regard to oral hygiene habits, caries experience (DMF), and effect of the feeding method on the lisk of caries. The results obtained were as follows:
1. A simple method in which a toothbrush was used was effective in collecting saliva for Dentocult SM-Strip mutans.
2. The Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHI-S) and Calculus Index Simplified (CI-S) scores were significantly higher in the orally fed group than in the tube fed group, and there was no significant difference in the Deblis Index Simplified (DI-S) between. the two groups.
3. The numbers of decayed and filled deciduous tooth (de and the numbers of DMF per subject were low in both groups, and there were no significant differences between them.
4. Salivary streptococcus mutans levels were significantly higher in the orally fed group than in the tube fed group, but both groups were in the low-risk group.
5. The tube fed group was subdivided into two groups according to the age at which tube feeding had been started: a group in which tube feeding was started under three years of age and a group in which tube feeding had been started at three years of age or older. No significant difference in salivary streptococcus mutans levels was found between the two groups, but the group that started tube feeding under three years of age tended to have lower levels than the other group.
