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oai:figshare.com:article/33827782 2026-09-16T04:32:50Z category_339 portal_316 item_type_3 month_year_09_2026

Data Sheet 1_Oral health status in children with autism spectrum disorder in Almaty, Kazakhstan.docx Zh. Yerkibayeva (24960553) G. Yermukhanova (24960556) K. Saduakasova (24960559) S. Yessembayeva (24960562) Y. Menchisheva (24960565) K. Rakhimov (24960568) Zh. Abu (24960571) Dentistry not elsewhere classified autism spectrum disorder children dental behavior management dental care Kazakhstan oral health Purpose<p>This study aimed to characterize oral health status, oral hygiene practices, and caregiver-reported dental care experiences among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and to describe caregiver awareness and practices related to oral care.</p>Methods<p>This descriptive cross-sectional pilot study included 53 children aged 3-18 years with a confirmed ASD diagnosis recruited from the “Autism Pobedim” rehabilitation center in Almaty. Clinical examinations assessed caries using the DMFT/dmft and CAST indices and oral hygiene using the OHI-S index. A study-specific 36-item caregiver questionnaire collected information on home oral hygiene, dental care experiences, and selected developmental characteristics.</p>Results<p>Only 24.5% of children brushed their teeth twice daily, and most required parental assistance. Overall, 30.2% had never visited a dentist, while 58.5% of caregivers reported major difficulties during dental visits. Reported management approaches in the sample included physical restraint, sedation, and general anesthesia. Overall, 39.6% of children had received completed dental treatment. In addition, 71.7% consumed sweets between meals and only 17.0% rinsed their mouths after eating. Although 75.5% of caregivers reported checking toothpaste composition, professional guidance on oral hygiene was limited.</p>Conclusion<p>In this single-center sample, children with ASD had a substantial burden of dental caries, suboptimal home oral hygiene, limited independent oral care, and caregiver-reported challenges during dental treatment. These exploratory findings support larger multicenter studies and further evaluation of tailored preventive, caregiver-education, and behavior-support strategies for children with ASD in Kazakhstan.</p> 2026-09-16T04:32:50Z Dataset Dataset 10.3389/fdmed.2026.1928744.s001 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Data_Sheet_1_Oral_health_status_in_children_with_autism_spectrum_disorder_in_Almaty_Kazakhstan_docx/33827782 CC BY 4.0