Association Between Dental Infection and Increased Incidence of Complications in Sickle Cell Disease Children: A Cross-sectional Study in Jeddah City

Aim: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are prone to many complications. However, little is known about oral infectious. This study aimed to assess the oral health status of pediatric patients with SCD and explore the associations between oral health conditions and clinical complications of SCD. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in children with SCD admitted to the pediatric wards of two government hospitals in Jeddah city. The children were examined for dental caries, gingival diseases, oral lesions, and dental infections. Oral findings were compared between children who were hospitalized for vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) or had a history of VOC in the last 6 or 12 months and those who were admitted for other reasons such as blood transfusion or other complications or had no history of VOC in the last 6 or 12 months. Results: A total of 107 children with SCD were included, with a mean age of 9.82 ± 3.82 years, of which 51 (47.7%) were females. Of the total, 58 (54.2%) were admitted because of VOC. There was a significant relationship between VOC and dental attrition (P = 0.038), osteomyelitis, and dental abscesses (P = 0.004). A significant association was found between the presence of dental abscesses and a history of osteomyelitis or avascular necrosis of long bones in the previous 12 months (P = 0.001 and P = 0.041, respectively). Conclusion: Dental abscesses and non-carious lesions are likely to be associated with VOC; however, further prospective cohort studies are warranted to confirm this association and establish a causal relationship.