Dental dilemmas in blood disorders: Navigating oral health in hematological diseases

Abstract

Introduction: The circulatory system is highly complex, and any dysfunction within the blood circulatory system can lead to blood diseases. Hemoglobinopathies are among the most common recessive diseases affecting humans worldwide. Objective: To analyze literature and describe the oral manifestations and dental management of patients with leukemia, anemia, hemophilia, and thalassemia. Methodology: A thorough search was conducted on PubMed using the keywords: hematological diseases, anemia, thalassemia, hemophilia, leukemia. Results: Leukemia manifests with oral symptoms, gum bleeding, and petechiae within the oral mucosa, and its management can be divided into three phases. Patients with anemia present paleness of the mucosa, dental mineralization disorders, higher incidence of caries and periodontitis, and require prophylactic antibiotics before surgical procedures. In hemophilia, bleeding from different parts of the oral cavity and prolonged gingival bleeding are common. Factor replacement therapy is indicated for all patients with moderate to severe hemophilia A and B. Patients with thalassemia often present with a convex profile and class II skeletal pattern, and any dental surgical procedure should be performed under antibiotic cover and immediately after transfusion. Conclusions: Hematological diseases pose a significant challenge to dentists. It is crucial to understand the oral manifestations of each to provide timely and appropriate treatment, and to take the right measures for each patient depending on their condition.

The Bloody Crossroads: Interactions between Periodontitis and Hematologic Diseases

“… Examples of mechanisms by which hematological disorders may affect the health of the gingiva and periodontium based on [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. …”