Perbedaan Kebersihan Rongga Mulut Pada Anak Tunanetra di Yapentra dan Anak Normal di Yayasan Anastasia Deli Serdang

Abstract

Blind children are those who have difficulty carrying out daily activities that involve vision. Blindness is classified into two, namely total blindness and low vision blindness. Blind children require special treatment as well as extra attention in caring for dental oral hygiene. Various studies state that oral hygiene in blind children is worse than in normal children. This research is conducted in Deli Serdang, one of the districts with a special foundation for blind children in North Sumatra. This study aims to determine whether there is a difference in oral hygiene between blind children and normal children in Deli Serdang with samples taken from Yayasan Anastasia for normal children and YAPENTRA for blind children, as both foundations have the same background. The research is conducted on blind and normal children in a foundation using an analytical survey with a cross-sectional design and examined using the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) OHI-S index. The sampling technique used is purposive sampling with a sample of 82 children, namely 41 blind children and 41 normal children. Data collected is processed univariately using descriptive and bivariate statistical tests: Chi-Square and Kruskal Wallis. The examination using OHI-S found differences in oral hygiene among blind children and normal children. Results are as stated: 9 blind children (34.6%) belong to the OHI-S „good‟ category, 18 blind children (46,2%) belong to the OHI-S „fair‟ category, 14 blind children (82,4%) belong to the OHI-S „poor‟ category, 17 normal children (65,4%) belong to the OHI-S „good,‟ 21 normal children (53.8%) belongs to the OHI-S „fair‟ category, and 3 normal children (3,6%) belongs to the OHI-S „poor‟ category; p = 0,007 (p < 0,05). This study concludes that the level of oral hygiene of blind children is lower than normal children. Limitations of this study lie in the limited data on blind children in the area, uneven sample quantity between ages, and incomplete questionnaire questions. This study suggests further research efforts to be carried out with a larger number of samples and questionnaires equipped with questions about diet and how to maintain oral hygiene.