Dental caries and periodontal tissue diseases remain one of the most actual problems in pediatric dentistry. There is also a trend towards an increase in the prevalence of malocclusion. Dental morbidity in children in most cases develops under the influence of both local and general factors. Somatic pathology has a particularly significant impact on the development of dental morbidity in children, caused by metabolic disorders, which serves as the pathogenetic basis for the development of diseases. Viral infection, which is widespread among children and adults, plays a significant role in the development of dental diseases. In recent years, there has been an increase in the incidence of children with infectious mononucleosis caused by Epstein-Barr virus. Therefore, the assessment of oral health status in children with infectious mononucleosis will allow the development of effective means of preventing and treating diseases.
Purpose. The purpose of the study is to assess the oral health status of children with infectious mononucleosis in the past medical history.
Methods and Material. 240 children aged 6-15 years, including 112 children with infectious mononucleosis in the past medical history of (the main group) and 128 children of the comparison group, have been examined. The prevalence of dental caries, malocclusion and the condition of periodontal tissues were assessed in the examined children. The oral health status of children was determined in accordance with the recommendations of P.A. Leus (1991).
Results. It has been found that in children with infectious mononucleosis in the past medical history, the prevalence of caries of permanent teeth, on average, was 73.68±3.04% with an intensity of 3.41±0.24 teeth, which was significantly higher than in children in the comparison group (65.06±2.98%; 2.53±0.22 teeth). Diseases of periodontal tissues were diagnosed in 69.8% of children in the main group and 48.7% in the comparison group. Among the periodontal diseases, chronic catarrhal gingivitis was the most common (62.7%). In children with infectious mononucleosis, malocclusion was detected, on average, in 86.36±4.22%, which is significantly higher than in the comparison group (69.23±4.27%). The oral health status of children with infectious mononucleosis aged 9 years was 70%, and 12 years 65%, and in the comparison group it was 80% and 76%, respectively.
Conclusions. Thus, a decreased oral health status of children with infectious mononucleosis in the past medical history was found, especially in 12-year-old children, mainly due to the development of multiple dental caries and periodontal diseases. The identified dependencies indicate significant disorders of the protective mechanisms of the oral cavity, insufficiently effective oral hygiene and lack of preventive measures in children with infectious mononucleosis in the past medical history.
