HEMOFILIJA A IR B SERGANČIŲ LIETUVOS VAIKŲ BURNOS SVEIKATA IR JĄ LEMIANTYS VEIKSNIAI

Abstract

Patients with haemophilia often face difficulties in accessing primary dental care: they are at increased risk of spontaneous gum bleeding and significant bleeding from invasive dental procedures. Other of the known barriers is lack of confidence in the ability of dentists to manage patients with haemophilia. The aim of this study was to examine the dental health and its determinants in Lithuanian children with haemophilia and to compare these findings to the general population. Materials and methods. Two study groups were formed: a group of cases, children with haemophilia aged between 4-17 years and a group of controls, randomly selected healthy subjects matched for gender, age and place of residense. The Quantitative Plaque Percent Index (P% index), caries related microflora, stimulated salivary flow rate and buffer capacity, dmf(t), DMF(t) scores were calculated and analyzed. Dietary habits, frequency of tooth brushing, educational and economic level of the parents and type of haemophilia were determined by a questionnaire. Results. Data were collected from 57 children among which 27 were children with haemophilia and 30 healthy controls. Children with haemophilia had lower overall caries experience and less unmet dental treatment needs in deciduous dentitions as compared to their healthy counterparts, but were no differences between the study groups in permanent dentitions. Higher bacteriological counts were found in controls than in study group. Healthy children were from higher socio-economic status families than children with haemophilia. Conclusions. Better dental health was observed in children with haemophilia in deciduos teeth as compared to healthy children. In permanent dentitions overall caries experience and unmet dental treatment needs did not differ between cases and controls.