Análisis del estado de salud oral y necesidades de tratamiento en dos grupos de escolares, uno con discapacidad, en dos zonas periurbanas de la CAM

Abstract

Los estudios epidemiológicos de salud bucodental constituyen un instrumento básico e imprescindible para la correcta planificación de los programas de prevención y de asistencia dental, así como para evaluar el grado de adecuación de los servicios odontológicos a las necesidades reales de la población. Los pacientes con minusvalías, psíquicas o sensoriales, suelen presentar importantes necesidades de atención odontológica. En este grupo de pacientes, un alto porcentaje tienen grandes dificultades a la hora de recibir dicha atención...Oral health is a fundamental aspect of integral health and well-being of the population. However, we find differences in the oral health status of the population depending on the strategies chosen by public administrations. Data obtained in several studies designed to learn the oral health status of the world’s population have shown two clear trends. One towards oral health improvement, when focus has been put on prevention, mostly in highly industrialized countries. And another one towards deterioration in oral health, when not enough attention has been given to prevention, at the same time as risk factors for these diseases have increased. Personality and health education develop at the same time in children. Therefore, childhood is the ideal time to positively influence their education into healthy behavior. This way preventive benefits will be increased. Accordingly, one of the most influential environments is school. School represents the ideal location to improve the acquisition of positive hygienic behaviors because of two reasons. First of all, school is where children spend most of their time during childhood. Also, during this time children develop their personality and virtues. Patients with psychic or sensorial disabilities tend to need special dental attention. In a high percentage of this group of patients dental attention becomes troublesome, either due to lack of collaboration, or difficulty to perform safe treatments in a non-hospital environment such as the dental clinic...