Assessment of Oral Health Status in a Group of Egyptian Children Undergoing Hemodialysis: An Observational Study

Abstract

Aim: The study aimed to assess the oral health status of a group of Egyptian children with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis. Methodology: A total of 69 children were included in this study. Clinical examination included the following parameters: caries status, periodontal health, oral hygiene, presence of any developmental defects of enamel, oral mucosa, and soft tissues. Results: Within the results, 71% of the children were caries-free and the mean values of DMF and def indices for caries-affected children were 0.53±1.23 and 1.48±1.77 respectively. The mean values of simplified oral hygiene and gingival indices were 1.15±0.79 and 0.54±0.5 respectively. Also, 62.32% of studied children were affected with variable presentations of enamel developmental defects. No soft tissue abnormalities were found in studied children except for mucosal pallor in 46.38% of children. Conclusion: It was concluded that chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis have a negative impact on the oral health of children.