Journal of Disability and Oral Health

cover art

Cover Date:
September 2008
Print ISSN:
1470-8558
Electronic ISSN:
1754-2758
Vol:
9
Issue:
3

The dental health of adults with learning disabilities – results of a pilot study

Aim: To establish a methodology to determine the levels of dental health and dental treatment service use among adults with learning disability (ALD). Objectives: To design data collection methods and identify, contact and survey ALD in the Manchester Learning Disability Partnership area. Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study, involving data collection via a questionnaire and dental examination. Subjects: 440 adults in Manchester, from a variety of living circumstances, all drawn from the Learning Disability Partnership database of ALD. Contacted and surveyed in day centres, community care and family homes. Results: 92% of participants were partially or fully examined. Three quarters of volunteer ALDs regularly visited a dentist, although a significant proportion of those residing in family homes (37%) and living independently (50%) had not accessed dental treatment services in the past year. Levels of untreated disease or other conditions were low among volunteer ALDs, levels of tooth loss were high (22% edentulous) compared with those from a wider adult population (14% edentulous). Conclusions: The methodology was feasible for collection of data about dental health, self care and service use among Manchester ALDs. There was a sufficient level of co-operation to allow this survey. Edentulousness is at a higher level among these ALD than in a comparable group of adults who do not have learning disability. People living independently and in family homes may require differential kinds and levels of support to increase

Article Price
£15.00
Institution Article Price
£15.00
Page Start
121
Page End
132
Authors
Mark Burton, Jackie Duxbury, David J. Cunningham, Darren Chadwick, Gill Davies

Articles from this issue

  • Title
  • Pg. Start
  • Pg. End

  1. STOP PRESS
  2. 98
  3. 98

  1. editorial.pdf
  2. 99
  3. 99

  1. An audit of the Restorative Dentistry Index of Treatment Need Complexity Assessment
  2. 100
  3. 112

  1. Health issues in persons with Down syndrome
  2. 113
  3. 120

  1. The dental health of adults with learning disabilities – results of a pilot study
  2. 121
  3. 132

  1. Behaviour guidance in dentistry for patients with autism spectrum disorder using a structured visual guide
  2. 136
  3. 140

  1. Unusual behavioural response of a patient with learning disabilities: A case study
  2. 141
  3. 143

  1. Diary Dates
  2. 144
  3. 144

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