Impact of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α on dental caries in children with malignant tumors

Abstract

The aim of this study was to study the impact of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) levels on dental caries demage in children with malignant tumors undergoing radiotherapy in the head and neck region. The case-control study included 48 children aged between 1 to 18 years divided into 2 identical groups by structure. The research group (Gr1) consisted of 24 children with malignant tumors in the head and neck region at a distance of 6 months - 2 years after the completion of radiotherapy (RT). 24 conventionally healthy children were included in the control group (Gr0). Were studied indications of carious experience, and the prediction of dental caries (DC) and the complex assessment of caries risk was performed with the application of Software Cariogram . TNF-α in oral fluid (OF) and blood serum was assessed by the method of immunoenzymatic on solid support. The analysis of the results of the study elucidated the high level of TNF-α in OF (5.53 times) and blood serum (10.19 times) of children with malignant tumors after completion of RT, compared to healthy subjects.Conclusions. Assessing the level of TNF-α in oral fluid and blood serum, in combination with other prognosis of dental caries, is an informative and important method in the early prediction of DC and the intense degree of activity of the caries process, necessary for the correction of preventive and treatment measures on the DC.