Dental status and oral health of patients with epilepsy: an epidemiologic study.
OBJECTIVE
We performed a dental survey of epilepsy patients to examine their oral health by statistical means and to provide a guide for the dental treatment of these patients.


METHODS
We first set up four "dental" subgroups of epilepsy patients, based on the types of seizures, seizure frequency, and mental state. One hundred one patients underwent a survey concerning their dental, medical, and epilepsy histories, followed by a dental examination. Indexes quantifying oral hygiene, the number and condition of the remaining teeth, periodontium, and the degree of prosthetic treatment were measured. An age-matched control group of general (nonepilepsy) population underwent an identical dental examination. Statistical comparison was performed between the patient and the control groups and between subgroups of epilepsy patients.


RESULTS
In almost all aspects of oral health and dental status, patients with epilepsy showed a significantly worse condition compared with the control group. Comparison of the subgroups of epilepsy patients revealed that the most severe findings concern patients who have poorly controlled epilepsy, especially those who have frequent generalized tonic-clonic seizures.


CONCLUSIONS
The observed difference probably results from a combination of factors such as the effect of the seizures themselves, socioeconomic conditions, and the negative attitude of dentists. We recommend that the planning of dental treatment of such patients should start with the assessment of their disease and determination of the "dental" subgroup to which they belong. For each subgroup, specific recommendations for interventions are given.
Károlyházy
Katalin
K
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Kovács
Eszter
E
Kivovics
Péter
P
Fejérdy
Pál
P
Arányi
Zsuzsanna
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D017266:Dental Prosthesis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009911:Oral Hygiene Index; D010512:Periodontal Index; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D000927:Anticonvulsants