Dental Caries and Dental Anomalies in Children Undergoing Chemotherapy for Malignant Diseases

Abstract

Purpose: The study aims to evaluate the prevalence of dental caries and anomalies in pediatric patients undergoing chemotherapy or those who have completed chemotherapy. Methods: A total of 250 pediatric patients within the age group of 6 months to 17 years, either admitted to hospitals for chemotherapy or on follow-up, were included as a part of the study. Complete oral examination inclusive of the diet history, oral hygiene methods, past dental history, the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT), def score, and any dental anomaly was diagnosed clinically and radiographically using an orthopantomogram. The samples were further categorized under type of malignancies and duration of chemotherapeutic drug usage groups (from 6 months to 10 years and more than 10 years) to establish a correlation of these variables with the prevalence of dental caries and dental anomalies. Results: Among all patients, 108 (43.2%) had completed the treatment (chemotherapy), while 142 (56.8%) were undergoing the treatment. Forty-three (17.2%) patients showed positive findings for dental anomalies. Conclusion: The present study confirms the strong positive correlation between long-term exposure to chemotherapeutic agents and the prevalence of dental anomalies and dental caries in children.