Abstract
Background In this study, the prevalence and distribution of dental caries and oral hygiene conditions in a group of patients with β-TM are evaluated and the results compared to age-and gender-matched healthy patients. In addition, oral candida colonization and the density of Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans) and Lactobacilli in the total saliva are assessed.Material and Methods This study involved 59 β-TM patients between 6-16 years old (mean:11.59±3.22), who applied to the Department of Pedodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Akdeniz University, with ongoing follow-up, treatment and regular blood transfusions. All enrolled patients were diagnosed with β-TM by the Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University. As a control group, age-and gender-matched healthy 50 patients were included to the study.ResultsPlaque (p=0.001), DMFT (p=0.009) and DMFS (p=0.039) indices were significantly higher in the β-TM patients, whereas, the oral hygiene status was significantly lower (p=0.004). Saliva buffering capacity average was insignificantly but slightly more in β-TM patients(p=0.131). While S.mutans values were significantly higher in the β-TM patients (p=0.002), no significant difference was found in the Lactobacillus (p=0.131) and Candida values (p=0.33). Conclusions: DMFT, DMFS, Plaque and oral hygiene indices and S.mutans values were found significantly different in β-TM patients than healthy, control group patients, in this study. Key words:Thalassemia major, DMFT, S.mutans, Lactobacilli, Candida.
Highlights
Hemoglobin is the oxygen-transport protein in the red blood cells
The authors stated that S. mutans values were significantly higher in thalassemia major (TM) patients when compared to control group, and, the DMFT indices were higher in TM patients (TM: DMFT=10.3; control: DMFT=9.4), this difference was not significant
The results revealed that the DMTF indices were significantly higher in β-TM patients for both of the age groups
Summary
Hemoglobin is the oxygen-transport protein in the red blood cells. Hemoglobin A is the major hemoglobin, comprising about 97% of the total hemoglobin. The thalassemias are a group of genetic disorders characterized by decreased or absent production of globin chains, leading to microcytic anemia. Thalassemia intermedia patients present less severe clinical features than TM patients [13], and do not need regular blood transfusions, as they usually have hemoglobin levels of 7–10 g/dl [4]. Patients with β-TM have severe microcytic hypochromic anemia, due to the reduced or absent production of β-globin chains, requiring repeated erythrocyte transfusions [2,3,4]. The prevalence and distribution of dental caries and oral hygiene conditions in a group of patients with β-TM are evaluated and the results compared to age-and gender-matched healthy patients. Conclusions: DMFT, DMFS, Plaque and oral hygiene indices and S.mutans values were found significantly different in β-TM patients than healthy, control group patients, in this study
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