Dental caries in children with asthma undergoing treatment with short-acting beta2-agonists.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to evaluate possible higher risk for dental caries among asthmatic children undergoing treatment with short-acting beta2-agonists.


METHODS
Dental clinical assessments, saliva analysis and a questionnaire survey were carried out on 60 children aged 6-12, of whom 30 were asthmatic subjects undergoing treatment with short-acting beta2-agonists and 30 were used as controls. The obtained data for DMFT/dmft scores, Silness-Löe plaque index, buffer capacity and bacteria counts for Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus in the saliva, oral hygiene and dietary habits were compared using Student t-test and Pearson chi-square test.


RESULTS
We registered a higher DMFT score among asthmatics of 1.2-/+1.8 (SD) and 0.3-/+0.8 among non-asthmatic patients (p<0.05), while comparison of dmft scores between the examined groups showed not significant (Student t-test). Saliva analysis revealed lower buffer capacity in 43.3% of the asthmatic children, followed by higher cariogenic bacteria counts in their saliva (p<0.05 Student t-test). These results show the lower plaque index in the asthmatic group (1.6+/-0.4) compared with the control (2.1+/-0.3). Asthmatic children expressed better oral-health habits with more frequent tooth- brushing and usage of fluorides.


CONCLUSIONS
The results from our study suggest a higher caries-susceptibility among asthmatic children undergoing treatment with short-acting beta2-agonists, but a clear association between these drugs, salivary changes and dental caries among children, still remains to be demonstrated.
University of Padua, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Via Ospedale Castelfranco Veneto, Treviso, Italy.
S
S
Mazzoleni
E
E
Stellini
E
E
Cavaleri
A
A
Angelova Volponi
R
R
Ferro
S
S
Fochesato Colombani
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002021:Buffers; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology*; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014099:Toothbrushing
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D002021:Buffers; D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D005459:Fluorides