Factors associated with mouth breathing in children with -developmental -disabilities.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and factors associated with mouth breathing among patients with developmental disabilities of a dental service. METHODS: We analyzed 408 dental records. Mouth breathing was reported by the patients' parents and from direct observation. Other variables were as -follows: history of asthma, bronchitis, palate shape, pacifier use, thumb -sucking, nail biting, use of medications, gastroesophageal reflux, bruxism, gender, age, and diagnosis of the patient. Statistical analysis included descriptive analysis with ratio calculation and multiple logistic regression. Variables with p < 0.25 were included in the model to estimate the adjusted OR (95% CI), calculated by the forward stepwise method. Variables with p ​​< 0.05 were kept in the model. RESULTS: Being male (p = 0.016) and use of centrally acting drugs (p = 0.001) were the variables that remained in the model. CONCLUSION: Among patients with -developmental disabilities, boys and psychotropic drug users had a greater chance of being mouth breathers.