Oral Health Status in Children with Nephrotic Syndrome

Abstract

Objective: To assess the oral health status of a group of nephrotic syndrome children in Mansoura City. Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 200 children aged 4-14 years old, who were divided into two equal groups. Children with Nephrotic Syndrome were selected from the Nephrology clinic at Mansoura Children’s Hospital as a case group. Matched healthy children were selected as a control group from governmental schools in Mansoura city. The oral health status of the studied groups was evaluated by using DMFT & deft indices, gingival index (GI), simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S), and developmental enamel defects index (DDE). Un-stimulated salivary flow rate, pH, buffering capacity, and saliva total protein were also measured. Data were collected and statistically analyzed. Results: The study results revealed that there was a statically significant decrease in caries prevalence in the case group compared to in control group (P-value 0.002). While for both gingival condition and developmental enamel defects, there was a statically significant increase in the case group compared to in control group (P-value < 0.001) for both. In the simplified oral hygiene index, there was a statistically significant difference in the median calculus index (C.I), it was higher in the control group than in the case group (p- value.0.006). For the saliva parameter, the case group had a higher statically significant difference in pH and buffering (P valuen≤0.05). Conclusions: In children suffering from nephrotic syndrome there was a decrease in caries prevalence, increasing the incidence of gingival inflammation and enamel developmental defects.