Caries Prevalence, Caries-Related Factors and Plaque pH in Adolescents with Long-Term Asthma

Abstract

The aim of the present case-control study was to investigate dental caries, various caries-related factors as well as gingival condition, in 12- to 16-year-olds with long-term asthma (n = 20) and a matched healthy control group (n = 20). Data on dietary and oral hygiene habits, numbers of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli in saliva were also obtained. The plaque pH drop after a sucrose rinse was measured up to 40 min at 2 approximal tooth sites. A lower salivary flow rate was found in the asthma group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The mean (± SD) of DFS, including manifest and initial caries, was 4.9 ± 5.5 in the asthma and 1.4 ± 2.3 (p < 0.01) in the control group. Only 1 adolescent in the asthma group was caries free compared to 13 in the control group. Concerning pH in plaque, adolescents with asthma had a lower initial value (p < 0.01) and final pH (p < 0.05) than the control group. The Cariogram data showed that 55% of the subjects in the control group had ‘a high chance of avoiding caries’ compared to 10% in the asthma group (p < 0.01). The asthmatic adolescents had higher numbers of sites with gingival bleeding (p < 0.01). To conclude, adolescents with long-term asthma had a higher total DFS and caries risk (according to Cariogram), decreased salivary rate, more gingival bleeding and lower plaque pH than adolescents without asthma.

Factors associated with dental caries in the primary dentition of children with cerebral palsy

“…7 Gingival status was determined by evaluating the presence or absence of inflammatory gingival alterations. 8 Respiration was classified as either mouth or nose breathing. All other independent variables were assessed based on their presence or absence.…”

“…8 Xerostomia is also a frequent clinical finding in patients with CP. This reduction in salivary flow may be a side effect of medications, or it may indicate a possible autonomic disorder, hypohydration and/or salivary gland deficiency in individuals with spastic CP.…”

Factors Associated with Gingivitis in Children with Developmental Disabilities

“…We expected that gastroesophageal reflux disease, tooth decay [5,12], cerebral palsy [3,4,7,18], asthma and drugs for its treatment [13], xerostomia [8], and male gender [5] would be associated with gingivitis, but these associations were not found in our study.…”

“…age [11], dental caries [5,12], the use of medication, [12] different diagnoses of cerebral palsy [4], asthma and the medications used to treat it [13], and male gender [5].…”

Repercusiones en la salud bucodental asociadas con el asma en niños de 6 a 12 años de edad

“…18,19,20,21,22,23 La Federación Dental Americana ha cambiado recientemente la clasificación de riesgo de los glucocorticoides inhalados, con base en la información disponible sobre sus efectos en el crecimiento. 24 …”