General health, systemic diseases and oral status in adult patients with coeliac disease

Abstract

The prevalence of coeliac disease in the general population is 0.5–1%; however, most patients remain undiagnosed until adult age. In some cases, the onset is represented by sub-clinical signs, some of which can be found in the mouth. The aim of this research was to identify any associations between the clinical characteristics of coeliac disease and oral manifestations. A structured questionnaire was administered to a group of 237 individuals with coeliac disease. 100% of the subjects fully completed the questionnaire. Among them, 182 (76.7%) were female, 64 patients (27%) were aged 15 to 24 years, 159 (67%) were aged 25 to 55 and 14 (6%) were aged 56 and over. Significant associations were observed in caries prevalence and dentin sensitivity; in addition, an inappropriate diet was related to oral manifestations; following a gluten-free diet could be important to control the gingival bleeding levels and to manage oral symptoms associated to coeliac disease. In general, the presence of inflammatory symptoms in the mouth seems to be associated with general symptoms of inflammation related to coeliac disease.