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Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the oral health of a group of children with congenital heart disease in Benghazi children's hospital attending (out-patient) or admitted (in-patient). Subjects and Methods: Seventy children with congenital heart disease (mean age of 7.2) were included in the study and subdivided into 3 age groups (29 children were <6 years old, 29 in mixed dentition 6-12 years and 12 were >12 years old. Both extent and severity of gingivitis were assessed in the incisor area of the maxilla and the incisor and canine area of the mandible using the extent of gingivitis (EG) and gingivitis severity (GS) indices. The individual gingival units: papillae (P); margins (M) and attached gingivae (A) were assessed for the presence of inflammation based on visual examinations. The extent of inflammation was measured by scoring the color change of the most severe gingival unit in upper and lower index teeth. Caries experience was assessed using dmft for deciduous teeth and DMFT for permanent teeth. Results: Different degrees of gingival inflammation EG&GS were present in 94.3% of children, which was predominantly moderate gingivitis (GS2, 59%) and was not age related (p>0.05). Untreated dental caries was present in 49% children and was age related (p≤0.001). Total DMFT (mean ± Std.) was 0.271 ± 0.75 while dmft was 2.0 ± 3.4 and was significantly increased with age (p<0.001). Conclusion: There has been more untreated caries and pronounced gingival inflammation of various degrees due to lack of proper dental care that prompts the importance of eliminating the sources of infection from the oral cavity.