Orofacial Dysfunction in Cerebral Palsy Patients and Its Association With Oral Health Status and Quality of Life

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by motor disorders, where orofacial functions, such as controlling saliva, talking, and eating are often affected. Impaired eating is associated with poor growth and problems with chewing and swallowing problems may jeopardize respiration. Notably, the most common causes of death in young individuals with CP are secondary respiratory diseases. Hence, dysfunction in the face, tongue, palate and throat, generically termed orofacial dysfunction has a strong impact on health in individuals with CP. From a dental point of view, early examinations for intervention and prevention among children in general (and those with special needs specifically) are strongly recommended by major dental academies. However, because children with CP have multiple medical issues, their dental issues might not receive equal consideration from healthcare providers trying to provide the best comprehensive care. This can create significant morbidity that can further affect the wellbeing of these compromised children and negatively impact their quality of life.

This study will evaluate the relationship among orofacial functions, manual ability, gross motor function and oral health related quality of life (OHRQOL) in parents / caregivers. One hundred child (4-16 years) will be assessed for orofacial function using the Turkish version for the Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S) protocol, which consists of a structured interview and clinical examination. In NOT-S, aspects of orofacial dysfunction are termed domains. Each domain consists of questions or tasks, which are termed items. Each item serves to discriminate between normal function and dysfunction. The domains and items were finally formulated through discussions in the development team. The NOT-S consists of a structured interview, registering everyday orofacial functions, and a basic clinical examination registering intentional sensory-motor control via the cranial nerves. The interview contains six domains: 'Sensory function', 'Breathing', 'Habits', 'Chewing and swallowing', 'Drooling', and 'Dryness of the mouth'. The examination contains six domains: 'Face at rest', 'Nose breathing', 'Facial expression', 'Masticatory muscle and jaw function', 'Oral motor function', and 'Speech'. Each domain comprises one to five items. Each item is rated with 'yes', if the criterion of dysfunction is fulfilled, or 'no', if not fulfilled. If one or more items within a domain are assessed with 'yes', dysfunction is indicated in the domain.

Self-initiated functional ability will be classified according to the expanded and revised version of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and Manual Ability Classification System (MACS). Both GMFCS and MACS are five-level systems (I-V) in which level I represents minor and level V represents major limitations in function and ability. Caries Status Caries status will be determined by recording the number of decayed (d, D), missing (m,M), and filled (f, F) teeth in the primary and permanent dentition. With the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index for permanent, and DMFT index for primary dentition we will assess the mean dental caries scores for every individual.

Oral hygiene is a basic factor for oral health. Poor oral hygiene leads to dental plaque collections, which with times turns into the calculus as finally can cause gingivitis and periodontal diseases. That is why many studies, also ours, have been carried out focusing on the role of oral hygiene. Some indices have been developed for assessing individual levels of oral health status. In this study, we decided to use Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S). The OHI-S differs from the original OHI in the number of the tooth surfaces scored. Instead of 12, there are just six surfaces. The OHI-S has two components, the Debris Index and the Calculus Index. Each of these indexes is based on numerical determinations representing the amount of the debris or calculus found on the tooth surfaces. The six surfaces examined for the OHI-S are selected from four posterior and two anterior teeth.

Oral health related quality of life measures the functional and psychosocial outcomes of oral disorders. It is now generally accepted in the research community that they are essential as clinical indicators when assessing the oral health of individuals and populations, making clinical decisions, and evaluating dental interventions, services, and programs. According to the US Surgeon General, oral disease and conditions can "…undermine self-image and self-esteem, discourage normal social interaction, and cause other health problems and lead to chronic stress and depression as well as incur great financial cost. They may also interfere with vital functions such as breathing, food selection eating, swallowing and speaking, and with activities of daily living such as work, school, and family interactions". People assess their HRQOL by comparing their expectations and experiences. Parental- Caregiver Perceptions Questionnaire (P-CPQ) was developed to measure parental or caregiver perceptions of a child's OHRQOL and the impact of the child's condition on the family.

The objective of this study is to analyze prevalence of orofacial dysfunction in cerebral palsy patients by using NOT-S and its association with OHRQOL.