(University of the Western Cape, 2022) Omer, Rayan; Mohamed, Nadia
Autism, as a neurodevelopmental disorder, is typically characterized by impaired social
interaction, limited interests and repetitive patterns of stereotypical behaviours. Periodontal
status and oral hygiene practices are found to be deficient in autistic children. This is
attributed to challenges in oral health practices at home in addition to the burden of unmet
dental needs due to challenges in providing treatment to these children.