Oral health status of dialysis patients based on their renal dialysis history in Kerman, Iran.
OBJECTIVE
Maintaining a high level of periodontal and oral health in patients undergoing renal dialysis is of paramount importance because of the inherent compromised host defence mechanisms. The aim of the present study was to determine the periodontal status and the level of dental caries in renal dialysis patients in Kerman, Iran.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted on two groups of patients: one including 68 renal dialysis patients (test) and the other including 30 healthy subjects (control). Half-mouth measurements of Gingival Index (GI), Plaque Index (PI), probing pocket depth (PPD), gingival recession (GR), clinical attachment level (CAL) and bleeding on probing (BOP) as well as decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMFT) index were recorded.


RESULTS
The GI, BOP, PPD, CAL and GR were significantly greater among the test group as compared with the control group; however, the DMFT did not differ significantly among the groups. There was no relationship between the duration of the dialysis and the periodontal indices.


CONCLUSIONS
It seems that patients with chronic renal failure have less favourable periodontal health than normal patients. The present study showed that oral home care practices were inadequate. Thus, preventive programmes to promote the oral health status of haemodialysis patients are needed.
Department of Oral Medicine, Iranian Center for Research in Oral and Dental Diseases, Kerman School of Dentistry, Kerman, Iran. golichamani@yahoo.com
Goli
G
Chamani
Mohammad Reza
MR
Zarei
Mehrdad
M
Radvar
Farin
F
Rashidfarrokhi
Fateme
F
Razazpour
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications*; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000150:complications; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D012016:Reference Values; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000150:complications*