Oral manifestations of sickle cell disease and its effects on dental and periodontal health: A systematic review

TL;DR

This systematic review explores oral health issues in sickle cell disease, focusing on dental and periodontal effects.

Contribution

The study systematically reviews and summarizes current evidence on oral manifestations in sickle cell disease.

Findings

Oral manifestations, especially periodontal issues, are commonly reported in sickle cell disease.

An association between sickle cell disease and dental caries, pulpal necrosis, and delayed tooth eruption was found.

Current data lack strong evidence linking sickle cell disease to specific oral symptoms.

Abstract

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder that manifests itself in several organs. There is little consensus in the literature on oral manifestations, particularly dental and periodontal. This study aimed to identify the oral manifestations of sickle cell disease, focusing on dental and periodontal manifestations.

An electronic search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and African Index Medicus. Quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, the modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and the 2013 Guideline CARE. This systematic review covered research published between 2000 and 2022.

A total of 962 articles were identified, 26 of which were selected, including 13 case–control studies, 4 cohort studies, 7 cross-sectional studies, and 2 case reports. The risk of bias was high for 3.84% of the studies, medium for 38.46%, and low for 57.60%. Oral manifestations were reported in 24 studies, with a predominance of periodontal ones in 10 studies. An association between sickle cell disease and dental caries, pulpal necrosis, and delayed tooth eruption has been reported.

Several oral manifestations, particularly periodontal, of sickle cell disease have been reported. However, current data do not provide evidence of a possible association between sickle cell disease and oral symptoms, particularly periodontal manifestations.

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