Oral conditions of children with microcephaly associated with congenital Zika syndrome: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to compare the oral conditions of children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS)-associated microcephaly, non-CZS-associated microcephaly, and normotypical children, as well as to characterize their sociodemographic aspects and medical history. A paired cross-sectional study was carried out on 14 children with CZS-associated microcephaly and 24 age-matched controls, in Belo Horizonte, in southeastern Brazil. Children's oral conditions were assessed: dental caries experience (dmft/DMFT indices); developmental defects of enamel (DDE) index; dental anomalies; mucosal changes; lip sealing, and malocclusion (overjet, overbite, and/or posterior crossbite alterations). The quality of oral hygiene was analyzed by the simplified oral hygiene index. The children's mothers also answered a questionnaire about sociodemographic and medical history data. The variables were analyzed descriptively. Female participants were more prevalent (60.5%), and the mean age of the participants was 4.9 years (±1.4) (range: 2-8 years) and 92.1% of their exhibited some oral condition. All participants with CZS-associated microcephaly showed absence of lip sealing and had malocclusion (100.0%). When compared to the other groups, children with CZS had a higher percentage of dental anomalies (35.7%), mucosal changes (71.4%), and unsatisfactory oral hygiene (64.3%). In a sample composed mainly of female participants aged less than 5 years, the prevalence of oral conditions and unsatisfactory oral hygiene was higher in the group with CZS-associated microcephaly, followed by the group with non-CZS-associated microcephaly. Normotypical children had the highest percentage of dental caries experience.