Evaluation of Oral Hygiene in Children with Down Syndrome Using the Busy Book Ayo Sikat Gigi as an Educational Toy

ABSTRACT

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the oral hygiene status of children with Down syndrome using the busy book Ayo Sikat Gigi as an educational toy. Material and Methods: We ran an experimental study involving 25 educable and trainable children with Down syndrome, comprising 17 males and 8 females aged 7-12 years, who were free from other disabilities and did not use orthodontic or prosthodontic appliances. Parents were instructed to educate their children using the busy book Ayo Sikat Gigi and also to guide their children in brushing their teeth effectively at home. We evaluated the OHI-S score over two visits, one before and the other after education using the busy book Ayo Sikat Gigi over a 7 day period. The Wilcoxon test with the p-value set at 0.05 was used Results: It was noted a statistically significant decrease in the OHI-S scores of children with Down syndrome (p<0.05), reflecting an improvement in their dental health, after education using the busy book Ayo Sikat Gigi (median scores before and after education 2.30 and 1.84, respectively) Conclusion: The busy book Ayo Sikat Gigi is a highly effective educational toy for children with Down syndrome, and in our study, it was demonstrated to decrease their OHI-S scores after education for 7 days.