title: Dental health in asthmatic children: a South Italy study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the oral health status of children with mild intermittent or mild persistent asthma compared to healthy children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 124 asthmatic children was compared to 156 age-matched healthy children. Bitewing  radiographs were taken and clinical examinations were carried out to record caries prevalence, caries experience in both dentitions, periodontal health and dental enamel defects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caries prevalence for asthmatic patients was 39% in the permanent dentition and 32% in the  primary dentition. Healthy subjects presented 36% caries prevalence in the permanent dentition and 26% in the primary dentition. There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in caries experience. The differences between asthmatic subjects and healthy subjects for  periodontal health and enamel defects were not statistically significant either.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children affected by mild intermittent or mild persistent asthma do not seem to be more susceptible to oral diseases than healthy children.
authors: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy. gianmariafabrizio@yahoo.it
authors: Gianmaria Fabrizio
authors: GF
authors: Ferrazzano
authors: Giancarla
authors: G
authors: Sangianantoni
authors: Tiziana
authors: T
authors: Cantile
authors: Ivana
authors: I
authors: Amato
authors: Aniello
authors: A
authors: Ingenito
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Noschese
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000002:abnormalities; D003744:Dental Enamel Hypoplasia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D015995:Prevalence; D016300:Radiography, Bitewing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014075:Tooth Discoloration / Q000453:epidemiology; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000473:pathology