Oral hygiene habits of children with delayed speech development and children with typical development in the area of the Tuzla Canton

Speech and language delay in children is associated with increased difficulties with reading, writing, attention and socialization which also affects the child's entire organism. The aim of the research was to examine the oral hygiene habits in children with delayed speech development and children with typical development in the area of the Tuzla Canton and to determine deviations and differences between the groups. The sample consisted of 80 respondents from the area of the Tuzla Canton, children with slow speech development who came for regular treatments at the Center for Early Growth and Development and children who came for regular dental examinations. During the research, a survey was conducted onchildren' parents with delayed speech development, as well as parents of children with typical development who made up the control group. Age and gender information were used, but not information of identity. There is a difference between answers regarding the child' birth weight, maintaining the child's oral hygiene, the first dental examination, extraction of deciduous and permanent teeth, consumption of sweets, frequency of annual visits to the dentist. In a larger number of observed parameters, the working hypothesis was confirmed while the null hypothesis was rejected. In order to preserve the oral health of children it is necessary to work on the promotion and prevention of oral health as well as early detection of oral and dental diseases and to strengthen cooperation between dentists and experts dealing with the problems of children with developmental disabilities.