Oral hygiene behaviours in children aged six to 12 years with autism spectrum disorder from the Escuela Básica Pablo Barinas San Cristóbal, period September - December 2023.

It has been reported that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have poor oral hygiene due to the presence of motor limitations that significantly affect the development of daily hygiene techniques. The aim of this study was to determine the oral hygiene behaviours of children with ASD aged between six and 12 years in the Pablo Barinas Primary School in San Cristóbal. A cross-sectional analytical observational study was carried out on 30 students from Pablo Barinas Basic School. All the students were examined with a tongue depressor under artificial light, with operator A carrying out the clinical observation and operator B taking notes in the clinical record prepared for this study, consisting of a personal data section and an odontogram to record the clinical findings. The following parameters were taken into account: presence of carious lesions, bacterial plaque and signs of bruxism, digital suction, mouth breathing. The CPOD index for the permanent dentition and the ceo-d index for the primary dentition were used to record teeth with carious lesions, filled, missing or indicated for extraction. Bruxism was identified clinically from wear facets on the incisal edge and occlusal surfaces, while digital sucking and mouth breathing were assessed from palatal depth and parental questions. In conclusion, children with autistic spectrum disorder are not very cooperative patients, which makes their clinical care difficult, so it is suggested that parents take their children to the dentist for preventive dental care from a very early age, which is a very effective technique for these patients, avoiding future longer consultations and invasive treatments.