Principles of dental care of transplanted patients

Abstract

The number of organ transplants is being on the rise. State-of-the-art immunosuppressive therapies and modern peri- and postoperative care have significantly increased life expectancy of transplanted patients, therefore, dentists and oral surgeons may encounter these patients more frequently. Although the number of successful transplants in Hungary has recently exceeded ten thousand; there is still no dental treatment protocol for these patients. The authors aimed to review and analyse the international literature about the perioperative dental care of transplanted patients based on good practice and evidence-based care protocols. A review and comparative analysis of the English and Hungarian literature between 2010 and 2019 was conducted in relation to the objective pursued. The number of scientific papers in this topic is limited and their level of evidence is low. In our paper, the risk factors of transplantation and the cornerstones of perioperative, early and late postoperative dental management are described. Organ-specific considerations and possible oral manifestations of the applied medications are also presented. Lifelong administered immunosuppressive medications and the resulting artificially weakened immune system require increased attention from dentists and other healthcare professionals during patient aftercare. Close cooperation between the treating physician/surgeon and the dentist is essential to maintain patient safety. Moreover, inflammatory disorders may put the patients at increased risk, so maintaining good oral hygiene is essential. Regular dental check-ups, early detection and adequate therapy can be the cornerstones of long-term uncomplicated survival. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(36): 1506-1513.