Oral health protocol for liver transplant patients

Abstract

Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis were the ninth leading cause of death in Brazil in 2011. Infectious complications are major factors for morbidity and mortality in liver transplant recipients. Oral infection is a cause of systemic infection for both liver transplant candidates and recipients. Liver transplant patients are at high risk of oral infection and preventive measures are mandatory. Oral treatment is feasible to the majority of patients awaiting liver transplantation. However, protocols for oral lesions management in liver transplant patients are not established in literature yet. The aim of the present study is to describe an oral health protocol for liver transplant patients based in our 12 years of experience in diagnosing and treating oral disease in the Liver Transplantation Clinic, Federal University of Bahia, Brazil. This protocol was developed by a multidisciplinary team of transplant surgeons, hepatologists, transplant nurses and dentists. All patients are evaluated by the hepatology team that assess liver disease severity and refer them to oral care. The oral assessment is carefully carried out. Additional complementary examinations are necessary to conclude diagnosis and proceed to an individual treatment plan. When oral surgery is necessary, coagulation factors, liver disease severity and the extent of surgical procedure are evaluated for each patient.

Comparison of anti-Candida activities of the ancient plants Lawsonia inermis and Ziziphus spina christi with antifungal drugs in Candida species isolated from oral cavity

“…[ 15 ] This organism can act as a source of invasive and systemic Candida infection with a high mortality rate in the recipients. [ 21 ] C. glabrata is a common fungal pathogen in the oral cavity, causing systemic and mucosal infections, and exhibiting natural resistance to azole antifungal agents. [ 13 ] Our results showed similar anti- Candida growth inhibition effects of L. inermis leaf and unripe Z. spina Christi in comparison with fluconazole in C. albicans .…”

Quality of life, work ability and oral health among patients with chronic liver diseases

“…These patients frequently present reduced salivary flow (7), making them more susceptible to the onset of periodontal diseases and caries. By their turn, such oral manifestations can contribute to the occurrence and worsening of severe complications, such as hepatic encephalopathy (8) and pyogenic liver abscess (9). A systematic review (10) found few published studies about the association between periodontal disease and liver cirrhosis.…”