Oral Health Status of Kuwaiti Children with a History of Chronic Liver Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the oral health status and dental manifestations of children with a history of chronic liver disease (CLD) compared to healthy children.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty children (15 boys, 5 girls) with history of CLD were compared to twenty healthy controls, matched for age and gender. Clinical examination was carried out by the same dentist. Caries prevalence, using the decayed, missing and filled primary and permanent teeth indices (dmft/DMFT) was recorded. Developmental enamel defects, plaque score and gingival overgrowth were also investigated.

RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found in the mean dmft scores for children with a history of CLD (4.9±5.4) and for healthy individuals (3.9±4.5). However, the mean DMFT score was significantly higher (p = 0.025) in children with CLD (4.2±4.6) compared to controls (1.7±1.6). The mean decayed teeth parameter (DT) was also significantly higher in children with CLD (p = 0.004). All patients with CLD exhibited enamel defects compared to only 33% in the control group (p < 0.05). A higher mean plaque index was observed in children with history of CLD (p < 0.001). Also, a positive correlation for gingival overgrowth was noted in patients with a history of CLD (p < 0.05). Green staining was evident only in the permanent dentition of one child with CLD.

CONCLUSION: Children with a history of CLD exhibited high caries prevalence, plaque scores and enamel defects compared to healthy subjects. Gingival overgrowth is less prevalent among pediatric liver transplant patients on tacrolimus therapy.