Evaluation the oral hygiene conditions, oral Candida colonization and salivary Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli density in a group of β-thalassemic children and adolescence

BACKGROUND: In this study, the prevalence and distribution of dental caries and oral hygiene conditions in a group of patients with β-TM are evaluated and the results compared to age-and gender-matched healthy patients. In addition, oral candida colonization and the density of Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans) and Lactobacilli in the total saliva are assessed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study involved 59 β-TM patients between 6-16 years old (mean:11.59±3.22), who applied to the Department of Pedodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Akdeniz University, with ongoing follow-up, treatment and regular blood transfusions. All enrolled patients were diagnosed with β-TM by the Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University. As a control group, age-and gender-matched healthy 50 patients were included to the study. RESULTS: Plaque (p=0.001), DMFT (p=0.009) and DMFS (p=0.039) indices were significantly higher in the β-TM patients, whereas, the oral hygiene status was significantly lower (p=0.004). Saliva buffering capacity average was insignificantly but slightly more in β-TM patients(p=0.131). While S.mutans values were significantly higher in the β-TM patients (p=0.002), no significant difference was found in the Lactobacillus (p=0.131) and Candida values (p=0.33). CONCLUSIONS: DMFT, DMFS, Plaque and oral hygiene indices and S.mutans values were found significantly different in β-TM patients than healthy, control group patients, in this study. Key words:Thalassemia major, DMFT, S.mutans, Lactobacilli, Candida.