Parents' Knowledge about Oral and Dental Health and Dental Caries in Children with Intellectual Disabilities

Children with intellectual disabilities are characterized by significantly below-average intelligence, leading to difficulties in behavioral adaptation during developmental stages and challenges in completing academic tasks. This condition is often associated with underdeveloped brain and nervous system functions. A prevalent issue observed at SLB B-C Optimal Surabaya is the high incidence of dental caries among intellectually disabled children. This study aims to examine the relationship between parents’ knowledge of oral and dental health and the incidence of dental caries in intellectually disabled children at SLB B-C Optimal Surabaya. This research employed a cross-sectional design involving 16 parents of intellectually disabled children. Data collection involved the use of a questionnaire to assess the independent variable (parents’ knowledge) and a dental caries examination sheet to measure the dependent variable (caries incidence). The data were analyzed using the Spearman Rank correlation test. The results showed a p-value of 0.001, which is lower than the predetermined significance level (α = 0.05). It can be concluded that there is a significant relationship between parents' knowledge of oral and dental health and the incidence of dental caries in intellectually disabled children.