Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S) is an all-inclusive method of screening for oro-facial dysfunctions (OFDs).
To evaluate the OFD of children affected with cerebral palsy (CP) employing NOT-S and to detect the correlation of OFD with dental caries.
Seventy-six children aged 4 to 14 years affected with CP had been included in the cross-sectional study. A single trained examiner who was experienced in using the NOT-S method performed screening and interpreted the results. Dental caries was determined based on the criteria advocated by the World Health Organization, 1997.
The most consistently detected OFD during interview were observed in the categories of habits, chewing/swallowing and drooling. Oral motor dysfunctions and speech issues were predominantly seen when examined. A very weak positive correlation was noticed amid NOT-S scores and caries in primary dentition, whereas almost no correlation with caries in permanent dentition was noticed.
The NOT-S protocol was a successfully valuable tool for holistic assessment of OFD in children affected with CP.