Good oral health is fundamental to general health, wellbeing and quality of life. Despite this, adults with learning disabilities may have poorer oral health compared to the general population. This is a preventable prevalent problem; personalised care and good oral hygiene can combat the two main dental problems (tooth decay and gum disease). This study investigated the prevalence of edentulousness (no natural teeth) in adults with learning disabilities and associated factors.
560 adults with learning disabilities had an oral health exam between 2004-2006. The results for the number of teeth were compared to general population data from the Scottish Health Survey of 2008. Demographic and clinical factors considered were: sex, age, level of learning disabilities (mild/ moderate/ severe/ profound), accommodation type (lives with family carer/ independently/ paid support/ congregate setting), Down Syndrome, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, problem behaviour, and whether the individual was taking medication (antipsychotic, antiepileptic).
Having no natural teeth increased as adults aged, but this was consistently higher for those with learning disabilities. There was a widening inequity with progressive age groups: for the 35-44 year olds 21% of adults with learning disabilities had no teeth, compared to 1% of the general population, for the 65-74 year olds this group difference was 77% vs. 22%. Having no natural teeth was more likely for people with more severe learning disabilities; taking antipsychotic medications and living in more deprived neighbourhoods.
Many adults with learning disabilities have no natural teeth and need supported daily care to reduce the need for extractions. Personalised support in good oral hygiene would improve the poor oral health experienced by adults with learning disabilities.
The original publication associated with this research can be found here.
For more information on this research, please contact Professor Deborah Cairns via sldo-info@glasgow.ac.uk
Project lead: Deborah Kinnear
Research team: L. Allan, J. Morrison, J. Finlayson, A. Sherriff, L. Macpherson, A. Henderson, L. Ward, M. Muir, S. A. Cooper.
Deborah is the Director of the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory and Professor of Health and Neurodevelopmental Conditions, in the School of Health and Wellbeing, at the University of Glasgow. Deborah is passionate about her research which aims to improve the health of people with learning disabilities and their families. She has worked on many different projects about people with learning disabilities including: cancer incidence, cancer screening, multi-morbidity (having two or more health conditions), oral health and COVID-19, to name a few. She has also worked on projects about the physical and mental health of family members who support someone with a learning disability. Deborah is committed to conducting research that has impact and works closely with self-advocates with learning disabilities, family carers and third sector organisations who are pivotal in all of her work and who have a shared vision of ensuring the human rights of all people with learning disabilities are recognised, supported and upheld.
Anna set up the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory with funding from the Scottish Government. She wants the Observatory to make Scotland fairer and healthier for people with learning disabilities and their families, by: Finding out the health problems people have Finding out how good or bad health care is Telling people about health and health care problems Finding ways to make health and health care better Checking if health gets better or worse over time Helping the Scottish Government, and staff who provide health and social services, to get it right for people with learning disabilities Anna is a doctor. She has done a lot of studies on the health of people with learning disabilities. Anna’s full name is Professor Sally-Ann Cooper.
Laura is an Affiliate Associate Researcher at the Observatory, involved in ongoing work about cancer screening, cancer incidence and cancer-related deaths, as well as pain and prescribing in adults with intellectual disabilities/autism. In 2023, Laura took up the role of Project Manager of the Trusted Research Environment (TRE) at the Health Informatics Centre (HIC) at the University of Dundee. The TRE, or Safe Haven as it is known in Scotland, is responsible for curation and provisioning of NHS Scotland patient data.
Angela was formerly the Director for Policy and Impact for the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory and remains an affiliate team member, having moved in 2024 to work with the Scottish Government leading the development of annual health checks and learning disabilities data. Angela is interested in how evidence is used in policy making and was involved in many projects at the Observatory. These included: Understanding the impact of Covid-19 on people with learning disabilities, The Research Voices Project, Helping to set up the SPIRE learning disabilities data project, Analysing information about drug prescribing for people with learning disabilities
