Caries in a cohort of adults with cystic fibrosis: a cross-sectional study

TL;DR

Adults with cystic fibrosis experience more dental caries than those without, suggesting a need for targeted dental care.

Contribution

The study identifies higher caries risk in cystic fibrosis patients and emphasizes the need for preventive dental policies.

Findings

Adults with cystic fibrosis had a higher mean DMFT score than the control group.

The difference in Decayed Teeth was statistically significant between the groups.

Further research is needed to determine the causes of increased caries in cystic fibrosis patients.

Abstract

Objectives To measure past dental caries experience in people with cystic fibrosis and to compare the results with a control group of people without cystic fibrosis.

Methods A cross-sectional study of 92 adults with cystic fibrosis and 92 adults without cystic fibrosis was undertaken in Cork University Dental School and Hospital. The median age for study group and control group participants was 31 years and 27 years, respectively. All participants completed a detailed questionnaire before undergoing a clinical examination that recorded demographic, social and oral health variables. Caries was recorded using the Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. All data were statistically analysed using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test, chi-squared test and Fisher's test. Negative binomial models were also used to analyse data.

Results The study group had a higher mean DMFT score compared to the control group (6.52, 0.99, 0.41, 3.89 versus 5.33, 0.18, 0.11, 3.68). While the study group had a higher DMFT, the only component that was statistically significant between the groups was the Decayed Teeth component (p <0.001).

Conclusion In this study, the cohort of people with cystic fibrosis had more caries than people without cystic fibrosis. Further research is required to establish if underlying systemic conditions, social and behavioural factors, or a combination of the aforementioned are responsible for a higher caries experience in this study group.

This paper reports that adults with cystic fibrosis have a higher caries experience than people without cystic fibrosis.It discusses caries risk factors that are specific to people with cystic fibrosis.It highlights the need for preventive dental health policy for this cohort of medically compromised people.

This paper reports that adults with cystic fibrosis have a higher caries experience than people without cystic fibrosis.

It discusses caries risk factors that are specific to people with cystic fibrosis.

It highlights the need for preventive dental health policy for this cohort of medically compromised people.