Other
Maurissa B. Lester, DDS
Pediatric Dentistry Resident
UCLA
UCLA
Los Angeles, California, United States
Christine R. Wells, PhD
UCLA Office of Advanced Research Computing
Shira Shafir, PhD, MPH
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Vinodh Bhoopathi, BDS, MPH, DScD
Assistant Professor Section of Public & Population Health Division of Oral and Systemic Health
UCLA
Los Angeles, California, United States
Vinodh Bhoopathi, BDS, MPH, DScD
Assistant Professor Section of Public & Population Health Division of Oral and Systemic Health
UCLA
Los Angeles, California, United States
Daniela Silva, DDS, MS
Section of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in reported tooth decay among children 1 to 17 years with developmental disabilities (DDs) and 4 or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) compared to children with no DDs or ACEs.
Methods: Cross-sectional data were analyzed from 4 consecutive years of the National Survey of Children’s Health (2016-2020). In this representative survey of 168,691 respondents, parents provided information about their children’s ACEs, developmental disabilities, and demographics. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between ACEs, DD, and reported tooth decay.
Results: Sixty percent of the respondent children had 0 parent-reported ACEs, 35% had 1 to 3 ACEs, and 5% had 4 or more ACEs. A majority of the analytical sample (82%) had no DDs. Children with DDs and 4 or more ACEs (OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 2.7-4.2, P< .0001) and those with 1-3 ACEs and DDs (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.9-2.5, P < .0001) were more likely to have experienced difficulty due to tooth decay in the past 12 months compared to those with no DDs or ACEs.
Conclusion: Children with one or more ACEs are significantly impacted by reported tooth decay irrespective of developmental disability status. However, in combination, ACEs and DDs can negatively impact one’s oral health, especially reported tooth decay.