Association between executive/attentional functions and caries in children with cerebral palsy

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the existence of an association between attention/executive functions and the development of dental caries in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). Seventy-six children with CP were selected from a physical rehabilitation center and a school serving children with disabilities. The control group was made up of 89 children without neurological impairment. Socioeconomic status, presence of teeth with cavities due to caries, degree of motor impairment and intellectual, executive and attentional functions were assessed. Mean age of participants was 8.9 years (SD = 3.56). The CP group had a significantly lower performance (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test) on the intelligence, attentional function and executive function tests in comparison to the control group. Controlling for the clinical diagnosis (CP or control group), motor impairment and intellectual function, the significant explanatory variables for the presence of teeth with cavities were performance on the Complex Rey figure test (OR = 0.941) and the Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children in backward order (OR = 0.581). After controlling for intellectual function, clinical diagnosis and motor impairment, deficits in executive and attentional functions increased the odds of developing dental caries in children with cerebral palsy.