title: Relationship between oral health status and hematological values in pediatric leukemic patients: an evaluative survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leukemia is a malignancy of the bone marrow and constitutes 30% of all childhood cancers. The leukemic condition itself and its therapy cause oral signs and symptoms with significant morbidity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to review the oral health status in children with leukemia and relate the gingival and periodontal findings to the changes in their hematological values.
  
  
  METHODS
  The oral health status in 47 pediatric leukemic patients in the age group of 6 to 14 years was assessed using the dmft/DMFT index, OHI(S) index and modified gingival index (MGI). Their hematological reports on the day of examination were obtained. The patients were divided into three groups based on the status of treatment. The relation between the platelet count and the WBC count with the MGI score was checked.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest dmf and DMF scores were seen in patients who were currently under treatment. Though an inverse relation was seen between the platelet count and the MGI score, a statistically significant value was not obtained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A longitudinal follow-up of patients should be carried out in order to establish a relation between the hematological parameters and the gingival inflammation score
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry College of Dental Sciences and Research Center, Ahmedabad Gujarat, India, e-mail: veekart@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Karthik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Venkataraghavan
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Student, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry College of Dental Sciences and Research Center, Ahmedabad Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Udita
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Majithia
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Dentistry, SEGi University, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Prashant
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Choudhary
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry College of Dental Sciences and Research Center, Ahmedabad Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Krishna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry College of Dental Sciences and Research Center, Ahmedabad Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Shalin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004245:DMF Index; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D009911:Oral Hygiene Index; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010976:Platelet Count; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy