An individual with learning difficulties may not wholly understand the importance of keeping a healthy mouth. barrier to accessing services for a range of vulnerable population groups, such as PWID (Gordon, Dionne, & Snyder, 1998).Therefore, it is essential to gain a comprehensive understanding of the oral health PWID, to inform the development of strategies and interventions to address the oral health issues in this population and thereby improve their quality of life and general health. Research has shown that poor oral health is one of the most common secondary conditions affecting people with ID (Traci, Seekins, Szalda-Petree, & Ravesloot, 2002). This population group has a higher prevalence and greater severity of periodontal diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis, compared to people without ID. Further, the levels of untreated dental decay are consistently higher in this population with several studies showing more missing and decayed teeth but less filled teeth in people with ID (Anders & Davis, 2010). Factors that contribute to poor oral hygiene among PWID include inadequate brushing technique and a lack of caregiver training.This can be difficult for parents or carers trying to get the individual to co-operate with a healthy day-to-day routine.
