Oral health care and service utilisation in individuals with Rett syndrome: an international cross-sectional study.
Tooth grinding and mouth feeding drive more dental visits in Rett syndrome, so build preventive oral hygiene and dentist desensitization into care plans.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Hamama et al. (2021) asked families around the world about dental visits for people with Rett syndrome. They wanted to know who goes to the dentist and why.
The survey covered tooth grinding, feeding method, and cavity history. Families reported how often their child saw a dentist.
What they found
Kids who grind their teeth and eat by mouth visit dentists more often. These two signs predict extra trips to the dental chair.
Cavity levels look similar to typical kids, but the RTT group still needs more appointments.
How this fits with other research
Moorthy et al. (2022) found the same tooth grinding pattern in autism. Both studies link bruxism to poorer oral health across neurodevelopmental disorders.
Kancherla et al. (2013) showed adults with any intellectual disability visit dentists less than peers. The RTT survey extends that gap to an even younger group.
Mammarella et al. (2022) proved brief behavioral training lets almost half of adults with IDD get an exam without sedation. Their work offers a ready-made fix for the low access L et al. uncovered.
Why it matters
Watch for tooth grinding and full oral feeding in your clients with RTT. Start early oral hygiene programs and parent coaching to cut down extra dental visits. Team up with local dentists who use short behavioral rehearsals so families do not rely on emergency care later.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of literature available on the comparative oral health status of those with Rett syndrome (RTT) despite diurnal bruxism being a supportive diagnostic criterion for the disorder. This study was designed to investigate the dental experiences of individuals with RTT in terms of perceived at-home and professional dental care. METHODS: Using data in the InterRett database, provided by English-speaking families of individuals with a confirmed MECP2 genetic mutation, the study investigated relationships between dental problems, oral care, child factors including bruxism and use of gastrostomy, and socioeconomic indicators. The study also explored relationships between dental presentations and socioeconomic, child, and family-related factors. RESULTS: Individuals with RTT exhibiting bruxism were more likely to access dental treatment. Those who had full oral feeding had a higher incidence rate of dental treatment than those with full tube feeding. A conservative (under) estimation of the overall dental caries progression rate revealed that this may be similar to that of the normal population. CONCLUSIONS: Drivers for dental treatment in RTT include bruxism as well as dental caries. Those who have full oral feeding experience more dental treatment than those with full tube feeding. A higher maternal education level may confer a protective effect for oral health outcomes in those with RTT. Nevertheless, families generally tended to value the importance of oral health despite reported difficulties in day-to-day mouth care.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2021 · doi:10.1111/jir.12834