title: Buccodental health and oral mucositis. Clinical study in patients with hematological diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study is to assess whether a good buccodental status (evaluated by means of dentogingival indices), is associated with a lower incidence and severity of oral mucositis in patients with hematological diseases who receive treatment with chemotherapy or bone marrow transplant.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out on 97 patients admitted to the Hematology Service of the Hospital Duran y Reynals in Barcelona during 2002-2003. These patients received treatment with chemotherapy or conditioning prior to bone marrow transplant. A descriptive study was made, analyzing oral hygiene, one dental index, and two gingivales indices, and evaluating their relationship with the appearance of mucositis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients with high plaque (PI) and gingival (GI) indices during chemotherapy presented a higher percentage of mucositis (77.4% and 65.7% respectively) against those who had little or no visible plaque. In the case of the PI, the differences were statistically significant (p=0.015). Likewise, patients who brushed their teeth 3 times/day presented mucositis in only 26.7% of cases, against those who did not brush, or brushed only once a day (65.9% and 68.4%), these differences also being statistically significant (p=0.013). The CAO showed similar results in patients with or without mucositis (7.59 and 7.03 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, a good gingival status as well as good oral hygiene during chemoradiotherapy is associated with a lower incidence and severity of mucositis.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Barcelona. 20365msr@comb.es
authors.forename: Maria del Mar
authors.initials: Mdel M
authors.lastname: Sabater Recolons
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López López
authors.forename: Maria Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rodríguez de Rivera Campillo
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chimenos Küstner
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Conde Vidal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology