Periodontal Disease in Children

Abstract

Sahar Alrayyes, DDS, MS, and Thomas C. Hart, DDS, MS, PhD eriodontal disease among children and adolescents consists mainly of ingivitis. The prevalence of marked periodontal destruction is low in oung individuals. In the USA, the prevalence of severe periodontal ttachment loss on multiple teeth among children and young adults is etween 0.2% and 0.5%. Although periodontitis is more common in dults, it is more aggressive when present in children and adolescents. eriodontal diseases in young individuals can develop as a consequence f a local or a systemic factor. Local factors include plaque, calculus, rthodontic appliances, orthodontic appliances, and dental anomalies (ie, namel projections, enamel pearls). Systemic factors include malnutriion, systemic diseases, gender, race, hormones, and smoking. Most periodontitis cases among children and adolescents occur as a anifestation of certain systemic diseases with an impaired immune system hat compromises their response to microbial plaque and increases the ikelihood of periodontal bone loss and premature loss of their teeth. eutrophils play a major role in the human defense system against bacterial nfections and any depletion or dysfunction in its adherence and chemotaxis s seen in neutropenia, Down syndrome (DS), Papillon-LeFevre syndrome PLS), and leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD) can result in oral disease. he oral manifestations associated with neutrophils dysfunction are well ocumented and include oral mucous membrane infection, gingivitis, perioontitis, and premature loss of teeth manifestation. This review focuses n these disorders.