Oral health in patients with hiv/aids. A unicentric observational study.

Abstract

Aim: Investigation of oral health in patients with HIV/AIDS. Materials and methods: This is a prospective observational study. The study included 95 patients who underwent an oral examination at the University Dental Clinic in Tirana, Albania, in the period JanuaryMarch 2024. Patients were categorized according to the presence of HIV/AIDS into two groups. The group with HIV/AIDS and the group without HIV/AIDS. In this study, the basic demographic characteristics, oral hygiene of patients as well as the presence of oral lesions, periodontopathies, and dental caries were evaluated with the values DT (decay teeth), FT (filled teeth), MT (missing teeth), DMFT, and CPI (community periodontal index) with the WHO Oral Health Assessment form 2013 and periodontal probe Results: A total of 95 patients were included in the study and of these 73 patients without HIV/AIDS (76.8%) and 22 patients with HIV/AIDS (23.2%). HIV/ AID patients were younger (35.8±9.1 vs. 55.6±12.5, p=0.026), and had worse oral hygiene (36.4% vs. 82.2% p=0.012). In patients with HIV/AIDS, on average, a higher number of carious teeth and missing teeth and a higher DMFT value, as well as more oral lesions, mainly candidiasis (45.4% vs. 11.0% p=0.0003 compared to patients without HIV/AIDS. Conclusion: In our study, it was documented that patients with HIV/AIDS had worse oral health and a greater presence of oral lesions associated with worse oral hygiene. The early monitoring and treatment of oral pathologies as well as the recommendation for the best possible oral hygiene can influence a better longterm progress in these patients.