Influence of parental knowledge and attitudes on the oral and dental health status of autistic children: A systematic review.

This review looked at whether parents' knowledge about dental care affects their autistic child's oral health. The results were mixed - some studies found no connection, but others showed that when parents received dental education, their children's oral health improved. Autistic children often have dental problems that need parental help to manage. More research is needed as the current evidence is limited.

This systematic review examined how parental knowledge and attitudes influence oral and dental health in autistic children. Nine studies were included from 610 initially identified articles. Results were mixed: cross-sectional studies showed no significant association between parental knowledge and oral health outcomes, while three experimental studies demonstrated significant oral health improvements following educational interventions for parents. The review highlights that autistic children are susceptible to oral diseases requiring parental attention.

However, the evidence base is limited and conflicting, with predominantly small, male-dominated samples and geographic limitations. The authors suggest this work can guide future research and oral health education programs.

While knowledge alone may not improve oral health outcomes, structured educational interventions show promise for improving oral health in autistic children. Clinicians should consider implementing comprehensive parent education programs rather than relying solely on information provision. Further research with larger, more diverse samples is needed.

Limited evidence base with only nine included studies, predominantly cross-sectional design. Small sample sizes, male-dominated samples, convenient recruitment methods, and geographic limitations reduce generalizability. Heterogeneity prevented meta-analysis. Conflicting results between study types indicate need for higher quality research.

This paper aims to systematically review the current evidence surrounding the influence of parental knowledge and attitudes on the oral and dental health status of autistic children. Data were sourced from EBSCOhost, ProQuest One Academic, Ovid MEDLINE, and Scopus. Additional records were manually identified through other sources. Literature search identified 610 relevant articles for screening, of which nine were ultimately selected for inclusion following full-text review.

A custom data collection sheet was constructed by the authors to extract data based on selected parameters addressing the focused research question. Extracted data were combined in an evidence table based on the collection sheet parameters. Study characteristics and findings were then descriptively summarized and compared. Due to heterogenicity, meta-analysis was not viable.

While all included cross-sectional studies have predominantly shown no statistically significant association between parental knowledge and oral health, three experimental studies have conversely reported significant oral health improvements following educational interventions; suggesting a strong correlation. Autistic children are susceptible to oral diseases, necessitating parental attention. Current evidence regarding this topic is limited and conflicting. The present systematic review faces limitations: included studies were few and predominantly cross-sectional.

Moreover, study samples were small, predominantly male, conveniently recruited, and geographically limited. This paper serves as a foundation to guide future research and inspire oral health education and wellness promotion programs.