Oral care interventions for autistic individuals: A systematic review.

This review looked at 36 studies about helping autistic people with dental care. Most studies used visual aids and practice at home to help with toothbrushing or prepare for dental visits. Some used distractions or ways to reduce overwhelming sensations at the dentist. The research shows these approaches can help, but most studies had weak methods. There's a big gap in research for autistic adults and people from different cultural backgrounds.

This systematic review examined 36 studies investigating oral care interventions for autistic individuals. Studies focused on two main approaches: improving home-based oral care skills and reducing anxiety/negative behaviors during dental visits. Most interventions (n=29) used visual aids and preparatory strategies for home hygiene or dental encounters, while others (n=17) addressed behavioral difficulties in dental settings. The review found methodological quality was predominantly adequate (n=8) or weak (n=23).

Key findings support home-based visual interventions for toothbrushing preparation and dental visit readiness, plus distraction/sensory-reducing strategies for clinical settings. Notably, only one study recruited autistic adults specifically, and no studies addressed cultural, ethnic, or socioeconomic factors in intervention design.

Visual aids and home-based preparation strategies should be considered for autistic individuals before dental visits. Sensory modifications and distraction techniques may benefit dental clinic experiences. More rigorous research is needed, particularly for autistic adults and culturally diverse populations, to strengthen evidence base for oral care interventions.

Most studies had weak or adequate methodological quality. Significant research gaps exist for autistic adults and individuals from minoritized populations. No studies addressed cultural, ethnic, or socioeconomic factors in intervention design. Sample sizes and specific outcome measures were not consistently reported across studies.

Oral care-related challenges are well documented in the autistic community; dental care remains one of the most prevalent unmet health needs among autistic individuals. This review examined interventions designed to improve oral health in autistic individuals from children and adult populations. Through a systematic process, 36 studies were identified. These studies focused on improving home-based oral care skills and routines and reducing fear, anxiety, and/or negative behaviors in the dental clinic.

Studies incorporated different types of techniques for facilitating oral care practice, includinginterventions to support home-based hygiene activities or improve an approaching dental encounter (n = 29), most often using visual aids, and/or strategies tobehavioral difficulties exhibited in the dental office (n = 17). Some studies used both approaches (n = 10), combining visual aids prior to a visit with behavior management. Using an evidence-based rubric, we reviewed the methodological quality of the studies and found that most were only "adequate" (n = 8) or "weak" (n = 23) in reporting their evidence. This review has two key findings: (1) there is support for preparatory home-based visual interventions to improve toothbrushing and/or ready patients for dental visits; and (2) distraction or sensory-reducing interventions may also improve experiences in the dental clinic.

Only one study purposefully recruited autistic adults, and no studies included intervention elements tailored to race/ethnicity, culture, and/or socioeconomic status. This review highlights the need for more studies investigating the impact of oral care-related interventions for autistic individuals of all ages and identifies a gap in interventions for autistic adults and those from minoritized populations.