Orofacial Clefts: A Worldwide Review of the Problem

Abstract

Orofacial cleft is one of the commonest congenital abnormalities which impacts negatively on the life of the individual and to a large extent affects the family. Caused by the interaction of environmental and genetic factors, this abnormality brings about decreased quality of life. Management of this abnormality entails a team involving a cleft surgeon, speech therapist, dentist, orthodontists, and so forth. This study involves the review of the various literatures on orofacial clefts, discussing the problems on the genetic basis, associated syndromes, and their management. Counseling of prospective mothers should be promoted to ensure that the abnormality is prevented at the early stages. Education on orofacial clefts should be promoted to create awareness on its preventive measures. Much attention must be geared towards cleft genetics studies to identify potential risk factors which might be predisposing individuals to the anomaly.

Risk factors for orofacial clefts in India: A case–control study

“…Data entry was done by staff trained by the data manager using customized forms designed and validated in MS Access with built in consistency, range, and missing data checks by the data base administrator. The risk factors included in the study were lack of folic acid supplementation during peri-conceptional period along with other documented risk factors, which were conception induced by medications or treatment; exposure to radiation (x-rays); infections; medical illness during pregnancy (such as epilepsy, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, fever, rash, arthritis, common cold, urinary tract infection, and vomiting); intake of any medicinal drugs; food habits (vegetarian/nonvegetarian); consumption of coffee, alcohol, tobacco, toddy (local alcoholic drink) or any drugs; exposure to smoking, indoor pollution, pesticides during the peri-conceptional period; consanguineous marriage; family history of any malformations; increased maternal and paternal age (Jha, 2001;Agbenorku, 2013;Neogi et al, 2015). Information was collected by interviewing the women as well as by reviewing medical records wherever feasible.…”

“…Children suffering from OFCs in low income countries have high morbidity throughout their life. They face a range of functional and cosmetic problems with potential long‐term adverse impact on health, speech, hearing, psychology, learning ability and social skills (Agbenorku, ). The treatment often requires a multidisciplinary approach, from surgical correction of physical defect to long‐term psychological counselling (Mossey and Little, ).…”

The association of cleft lip and palate with cervical vertebral anomalies- a lateral cephalographic study

“…[6] Genetic susceptibility has long been identified as a major component of CLP. [7] The most common environmental risk factors are maternal exposure to tobacco products, alcohols, nutritional deficiencies, some viral infections (rubella), medications, and teratogens in early pregnancy.…”

Plasma zinc levels in Ecuadorian mothers of infants with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate: A case series

“…NSCL/P has a multifactorial etiology, meaning that it is derived from the interaction between genetic and environmental factors such as diabetes, alcohol consumption, smoking, altitude, environmental toxins, nutrition deficiencies, and medication intake during pregnancy (Agbenorku, ; Dixon, Marazita, Beaty, & Murray, ).…”