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Background: Child dental neglect is the failure of a parent or guardian to meet the child′s basic oral health needs such that the child enjoys adequate function and freedom from pain and infection, where reasonable resources are available to family or caregiver. Aim: The aim of the study is to evaluate the phenomenon of dental neglect among children in Chennai and to associate dental neglect with oral health status of children aged 3-12 years. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving 478 pairs of parents and children. Dental neglect scale and a questionnaire were used to assess the dental neglect score among parents of the children involved in the study. Oral health status of children was clinically assessed using oral hygiene index, decayed, extracted, filled teeth (def(t)), pulp, ulcers, fistula, abscess (pufa), decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT), PUFA as per the World Health Organization criteria and pufa/PUFA index. Student′s t-test and one-way ANOVA were used appropriately for statistical analysis using SPSS software version 20.0. Results: A significant higher dental neglect score was reported among the parents who reside in the suburban location (P < 0.001), whose educational qualification was secondary (P < 0.001) and who have not availed any dental service for >3 years (P = 0.001). A significant higher DMFT (P = 0.003), deft (P = 0 < 0.001), pufa (P = 0.011), and debris index (P = 0.002) scores were seen in the higher dental neglect group. Conclusion: Child dental neglect is seen among the parents whose educational qualification was secondary, who reside in the suburban location, and who have not utilized the dental services for more than 3 years in Chennai. This dental neglect results in poorer oral health of children.

Background Good oral health is vital for quality of life, yet many older adults neglect their oral hygiene and dental visits. As no specific tool adapted to the Iranian cultural and socioeconomic context exists to assess oral health neglect in this population, this study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and cross-cultural adaptation of the Persian version of the Dental Neglect Scale (P-DNS) for older adults. Methods This methodological study used convenience sampling at Tooba Clinic in Sari, Iran, from May to July 2024. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews using the P-DNS, the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI), the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index, the Gingival Index (GI), and a demographic questionnaire. P-DNS translation and cultural adaptation followed Beaton et al.‘s guidelines. Psychometric properties were analyzed using SPSS v.25.0, with statistical significance set at p  < 0.05. Results The study included 200 participants (mean age: 65.5 ± 5.7 years). Mean (± SD) scores were: P-DNS 19.5 ± 5.5, GOHAI 23.5 ± 5.1, DMFT 23.2 ± 8.3, and GI 1.43 ± 0.45. Experts confirmed face, content (scale-level CVI = 0.89), and cross-cultural validity. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good model fit (GFI = 0.99, CFI = 1). Convergent validity was supported by a significant positive correlation between P-DNS and GOHAI ( r  = 0.57, p  < 0.05). Divergent validity was supported by significant negative correlations between P-DNS and the DMFT ( r  = − 0.42, p  < 0.05) and GI ( r  = − 0.46, p  < 0.05) indices. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.91) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.92) were high. Using ROC curve analysis with the GOHAI as a criterion, an optimal cut-off score of 13.5 was established (AUC = 0.82), yielding 88.1% sensitivity and 65.5% specificity. No significant floor (2%) or ceiling (2.5%) effects were observed. Higher P-DNS scores (indicating less neglect) were positively associated with higher education, better perceived economic and oral health status, having insurance, and more frequent dental visits and brushing ( p  < 0.05). Conclusion The P-DNS demonstrated high validity and reliability, making it a valuable tool for assessing dental neglect among older adults in Iran. However, the findings’ generalizability may be limited due to the use of convenience sampling.

Background/Objectives: For dental providers, it can be difficult to distinguish dental neglect from legitimate barriers to care, preventing the completion of dental treatment for pediatric patients. The aim of this study was to utilize caretakers’ self-reported reasons for missing their child’s appointments to identify barriers to treatment completion versus dental neglect. Methods: The treatment setting was oral rehabilitation under deep or intravenous sedation (IV) or general anesthesia (GA). After the responses were examined, patients were categorized into one of four groups: Low-Risk, Treatment Completed; Low-Risk, Treatment Not Completed; High-Risk, Treatment Completed; High-Risk, Treatment Not Completed. Low- or high-risk classifications were determined based on whether the reported rationale was a temporary hindrance that could be overcome through additional effort or assistance, or whether it was because the parent or guardian did not follow through with the recommended instructions and treatment. A chi-square test was completed. Results: A total of 602 IV charts and 1, 296 GA charts were reviewed for this study. For both IV and GA settings, the proposed low- and high-risk factors for dental neglect were statistically significant (IV: p = 0.000442; GA: p < 0.00001). Conclusions: The patients whose appointments were not completed for reasons deemed high risk for dental neglect had a higher risk of having uncompleted treatment. These patients should be closely followed due to a higher risk of dental neglect.

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, awareness, attitudes and experiences of child abuse and neglect as a whole among parents of dental patients. It was also aimed to evaluate the parents’ knowledge of dental neglect and to associate it with their children’s intraoral findings. Methods The study included volunteer 390 parents and their children who applied to the Department of Pedodontics of Faculty of Dentistry at Suleyman Demirel University for the examination or treatment of their children without special health care needs and between ages of 3–18 years. An information form was employed to ascertain sociodemographic characteristics, level of knowledge, attitudes and experiences of parents in relation to child abuse and neglect. ‘Child Neglect and Abuse Awareness Scale for Parents’ was used for evaluating parental awareness of child abuse and neglect. Medical status, medication use and tooth brushing frequency of the children included in the study were recorded. DMFT/DMFS, dft/dfs and PUFA/pufa (the clinical oral mucosal consequences of untreated caries in permanent and primary teeth) index scores were determined through the intraoral examinations. The relationships between the scale scores and other quantitative variables were analysed by Pearson Correlation analysis. Independent Sample T test was used for two group mean comparisons and One Way Analysis of Variance was used for more than two group comparisons. Results Parents demonstrated a moderate level of awareness regarding child abuse and neglect. Fathers demonstrated a higher level of general awareness than mothers. The awareness of emotional abuse exhibited a positive correlation with parental age and the number of children. A greater awareness of sexual abuse was observed among parents with male children. Mothers who graduated from primary education and fathers who graduated from secondary education had higher awareness of emotional abuse than parents with undergraduate and graduate education. Mothers who were unemployed or self-employed and fathers who were employee or self-employed were found to be more aware of emotional abuse than those who were civil servants. A greater awareness of emotional abuse was observed among parents with very low monthly income levels compared to those with higher income levels. Dental neglect questions were found to be associated with pufa, DMFT and DMFS indices ( p  < 0.05). Conclusion Child abuse and neglect was known by the majority of parents, with moderate awareness and low experience. The least known type of neglect with low awareness was dental neglect. Questions about dental neglect were related to oral and dental health indices. There is a need for community-specific education programmes and further research.

Aims: To show the association between dental neglect and alexithymia among adult dental patients. Settings and Design: At times, certain individuals with dental neglect may experience trouble in communicating and/or understanding information, ability to identify, and describe their feelings termed as alexithymia. Hence, recognition of alexithymia in a dental setting is important, because it worsens the dentist-patient relationship, especially among patients who neglect their dental health. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adult patients (≥20 years). Patients received a questionnaire assessing dental neglect [six-item Dental Neglect Scale (DNS)], alexithymia [20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20)], and demographic profile. Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed with standard statistical software (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 22). P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total sample of 1067 individuals comprising 553 (51.8%) females and 514 (48.2%) males with a mean age 35.33 ± 11.49 years participated in the study. Our findings showed that females had higher mean scores for both DNS and total TAS-20 and its factors. With increase in age and education, the mean scores of the DNS had significantly increased and mean scores of total TAS-20 and its factors had decreased with increase in age and education. Conclusion: The above study findings have supported the hypothesis that there is no association between dental neglect and alexithymia among adult dental patients.

Dental neglect may have serious consequences for children’s health. Moreover, it may indicate general negligence and it can be associated with child abuse. Therefore, a highly professional case management is of utmost importance, but also poses a great challenge for dentists. In order to develop effective strategies for an optimization of dental care in cases of dental neglect, a better understanding of the situation, and in particular an investigation into the unsolved questions of dentists in these cases, is needed. A prospective clinical examination with ten dentists was carried out to identify their challenges in the treatment of and the care for children facing suspicion of dental neglect. The practice of dental care in the cases of 102 children with suspicion of dental neglect (ages 3–14 years) was analyzed by collecting quantitative data (questionnaires) as well as qualitative data (focus group interviews). Severe and complex challenges in the handling of dental neglect in dental practice were identified. The study revealed that steps towards an optimization of the care for children with suspicion on dental neglect, which is much more than the treatment of caries, are needed. As such steps, we propose (1) the drafting of precise guidelines, (2) the education and training of dental students and dentists in general, (3) mandatory periodical dental health screenings, (4) the establishment of an interdisciplinary cooperation within the public health system, (5) the education of families, and (6) an adequate financial compensation for a professional and optimized case management. The establishment of efficient strategies of prevention and treatment of dental neglect and associated risks for the health of affected children will only be achieved with intense public and governmental support.

Background/Objectives: The Dental Neglect Scale (DNS) is known and used to evaluate and assess adult behaviors and attitudes related to oral self-care and oral-health. In English-speaking countries, the DNS has been used in many studies. At the moment, there is no validated version of the DNS that is available in the German language. The aim of this study is to validate a German version of the DNS to evaluate and assess the oral health and behavior among the German population. Methods: The study population consisted of N = 311 German adults (180 female, 130 male, 1 diverse) aged from 18 to 90 years from a dental clinic in Germany. The participants answered a questionnaire. In addition to questions on their socio-demographic background and the DNS, the survey included more standardized instruments relating to preventive behavior, dental anxiety, and oral health. Results: The DNS was translated into German. An explanatory factor analysis was conducted, which supported the unifactorial structure of the scale. The following results were obtained for the reliability of the resulting DNS: Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.710, McDonald’s Omega = 0.711, and Mean = 25.63 (SD = 4.02, Range 12–30). Convergent and divergent validity were demonstrated through associations between the DNS and various oral health scales, and by differences between genders and age groups. Conclusions: This study confirms the quality of the criteria of the DNS for German adults. The DNS is a convincing instrument that is used for epidemiological studies in the field of dentistry and psychology. Further validation with other samples should be conducted.

Background/Objectives: Dental neglect represents a preventable form of child maltreatment that may lead to significant oral and systemic health complications. This study primarily aimed to investigate the main oral manifestations and determinants of dental neglect in a pediatric population from Bihor County, Romania. Additionally, it assessed the association between systemic factors, such as nutritional status and psychological conditions, and the severity of oro-dental lesions, with the goal of informing future preventive strategies and public health interventions. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 333 pediatric patients diagnosed with dental neglect. Clinical data were collected from two centers between 2020 and 2024. Oral health status, socio-demographic characteristics, and psychological conditions were evaluated. Statistical analyses included Fisher’s Exact Test, Mann–Whitney U Test, and Bonferroni-adjusted Z-tests, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: Among the 333 participants, 52.9% were male, with a mean age of 8.75 ± 3.29 years. Most children (81.7%) resided in rural areas, and 55.6% were first-born. Carious lesions were identified in 100% of cases, with 54.7% showing complications such as endodontic pathology. Poor oral hygiene was reported in 99.1% of children, while 58.6% presented signs of periodontal disease and 37.2% reported spontaneous gingival bleeding. Acute pain was experienced by 40.2% of participants. Nutritional issues were prevalent, with 24.3% classified as obese and 21.6% as malnourished. Significant associations were found between lesion severity and both psychological disorders (p < 0.001) and malnutrition (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study identifies untreated carious lesions, poor oral hygiene, acute dental pain, and oro-dental trauma as key clinical indicators of pediatric dental neglect, with rural residency and limited education as significant socio-demographic risk factors. The findings highlight the urgent need for integrated, community-based strategies, including school-based screenings, parental education, and referral pathways, to improve early detection and prevention in Romania.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare audio-visual and verbal education on oral health related quality of life, dental anxiety and dental neglect, on diabetes mellitus patients attending Teerthanker Mahaveer Hospital, Moradabad. Materials and Method: The current longitudinal interventional study was conducted to check the efficiency of audio-visual and verbal education on OHRQoL, Dental anxiety and dental neglect, on diabetes mellitus patients attending Teerthanker Mahaveer Hospital, Moradabad, U.P., India. A 14-item questionnaire, OHIP-14, with emphasis on seven proportions of impact was used to collect information on OHRQoL. Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) will be used to collect data on Dental Anxiety. A prevalidated revised proforma of Dental Neglect Scale (DNS) was used to gather information on Dental Neglect. The questionnaire was a six-question instrument related to dental problems. After collecting the initial baseline data, the sample was divided into two groups: verbal education group (n = 1030) and audio-visual education group (n = 1030). Then oral health education (OHE) was provided verbally to Group I patients and OHE with audio-visual aids was given to Group II patients visiting Teerthanker Mahaveer Hospital. OHE was repeated every 2 months. At every 6, 12 and 18 months, questionnaire was repeated to evaluate the effectiveness of OHE. Inspection will be conducted under natural daylight in hospital premises. To avoid the disruption while conducting the examination, adequate supply of instruments was taken. Instruments were sterilized by autoclaving in the college. Results: A total of 1926 patients attended all the follow-up and review examinations. Subject dropout for Group I was 2% with 1009 at 6th month; 3% with 978 at 12th month and 1% with 967 at 18th month. Subject dropout rate for Group II was 3% with 999 at 6th month; 0% with 999 at 12th month and 4% with 959 at 18th month. The difference of subject dropout among the groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.23). Group mean total OHIP-14 score after 18 months was recorded as 15.36 ± 8.61, whereas in Audio-visual education group mean total OHIP-14 score after 18 months was recorded as 14.42 ± 7.59. At the end of study mean DAS score for DAS ≥15 (severe anxiety) was found to be 1.95 ± 2.18 in verbal education group, whereas in audio-visual education group mean DAS score for DAS ≥15 (severe anxiety) was found to be 2.24 ± 1.98. At the end of the study mean DN score for DNS ≥15 (severe Dental Neglect) was found to be 3.54 ± 2.63 in verbal education group, whereas audiovisual education group mean DN score for DNS ≥15 (severe Dental Neglect) was found to be 2.59 ± 2.75. Conclusion: The quality of life is a factor that can be considerably affected by oral health, which in turn reflects the general health of an individual. The main part of oral disease prevention is done by use of personal oral hygiene measures and maintaining oral hygiene. It is the duty of dental professionals to motivate, show and instruct patients to maintain appropriate oral health and oral hygiene. The study concludes that the program of this kind may be beneficial in improving many dimensions of dental health of an individual that includes physical health, emotional well-being, OHRQoL, inter-personal relationship and the fear related to dental treatment.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Pregnancy is often associated with a number of oral manifestations. There is a change in lifestyle factors and dental care during pregnancy. Aim: We conducted this cross-sectional study to determine how lifestyle factors affect oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) in pregnant women residing in Bero block, Jharkhand. Methods: The study included a total of 400 pregnant women aged 18-45. The assessment of lifestyle factors and OHRQOL was done using Health Practice Index (HPI) Index and Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), respectively. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews. Results: Forty percent of the pregnant women showed low OHRQOL. The majority of them were not using mouthwash and were brushing their teeth using faulty techniques. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that women with poor lifestyle scores (Odds Ratio [OR] =3.8, P-value <0.0001*), and systemic diseases (OR = 2.6, P-value < 0.001*) were more likely to have poor OHRQOL. Conclusion: Pregnancy is associated with poor OHRQOL and poor lifestyle scores. Effective policies for oral health need to be drafted for this group.