Observational studyBMC oral health2026
Dental caries, treatment needs, and oral hygiene status among institutionalised people with disabilities in Thailand: a cross-sectional observational study of oral health equity under universal health coverage.
Observational study in BMC oral health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Extrinsic black tooth stain and dental caries in the primary dentition of Vietnamese preschool children.European archives of paediatric dentistry : official journal of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry · 2026Article
- Factors associated with poor oral hygiene by intraoral region among residents with disabilities in Thai residential facilities: a cross-sectional secondary analysis.BMC oral health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo describe dental caries experience, treatment needs, and oral hygiene status among institutionalised people with disabilities in Thailand, and to assess age patterns and facility-level differences between two sex-segregated foster homes under universal health coverage (UHC). MATERIALS AND
methodsA cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 301 residents aged 7-59 years in two government-run foster homes selected by proportionate stratified random sampling. Examinations used World Health Organization (WHO) dentition criteria and the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S). Logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for untreated decay (dt/DT > 0) and caries experience (dmft/DMFT > 0), adjusting for age and facility. Modified Poisson models with robust standard errors were used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) as sensitivity analyses.
resultsThe mean dmft/DMFT index was 9.36 ± 7.24; 89.4% had caries experience and 85.4% had untreated decay. Caries burden increased with age. Adults (19-59 years) had higher odds of untreated decay (aOR 2.80; 95% CI 1.23-6.39) and caries experience (aOR 5.12; 95% CI 1.84-14.24) than children (≤ 12 years). The female facility had higher odds of caries experience than the male facility (aOR 2.60; 95% CI 1.07-6.30); because the institutions were sex-segregated, this should be interpreted as a facility-level difference rather than a biological sex effect. Sensitivity analyses using aPRs confirmed these associations.
conclusionsDespite UHC, institutionalised residents with disabilities had very high levels of untreated caries and poor oral hygiene, indicating persistent gaps between coverage and effective access to care. Observed differences between facilities reflect structural or organisational factors rather than biological sex effects, as the two institutions were sex-segregated. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Institutionalised people with disabilities are rarely represented in national oral health surveys, yet they face substantial barriers to care. Our findings demonstrate a very high caries burden and poor oral hygiene despite universal health coverage, underscoring the need for targeted institutional protocols, enhanced caregiver training, and proactive outreach services to bridge the gap between policy and practice.
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