Assessment of dental caries in children with organic lesions of the nervous system using ICDAS II criteria

Abstract

Studies of the dental status of children with cerebral palsy (CP) indicate a high prevalence and intensity of damage to the hard tissues of the teeth. The risk of developing dental diseases is known to increase signifcantly as the severity of neurological symptoms increase. The purpose of the study was to assess the incidence of dental caries using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS II) criteria in children with organic diseases of the nervous system depending on the severity of motor impairment. A number of 122 children (mean age 8.8±3.7 years) with spastic forms of cerebral palsy were examined. They were divided into groups according to the Gross Motor Function Classifcation System – Expanded & Revised (GMFCS-ER). All patients underwent a neurological examination, and the state of dental caries was determined using the ICDAS II criteria. In children with cerebral palsy, lesions of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth predominate, lesions of the proximal surfaces appeared to be three times less, but more than three times higher than in healthy children. Higher intensity of the carious process and the frequency of deep cavities are observed in children with cerebral palsy with severe motor impairment, according to GMFCS-ER. Establishing the features of caries development in children with cerebral palsy depending on the severity of neurological symptoms according to the ICDAS II system is an essential factor in determining the direction of preventive measures that should be taken for this group of children.