title: Atopic dermatitis and dental manifestations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin disease associated with epidermal dysfunction commonly seen in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible correlation between atopic dermatitis and dental diseases in paediatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study was conducted by the Department of Paediatric Dentistry of the Policlinico Tor Vergata among a group of 300 children, between 2 and 17 years of age and of both genders, for a period of 6 months from January 2013 to June 2013. Socio-demographic data including race, gender, and age were collected. Clinical and dermatological examinations were performed in all patients; family and medical history of atopy was recorded for each patient and relatives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred patients, aged between 2 and 17 years, with mean age of 8.9 (±2.12), were enrolled; 90/300 (30%) were affected by atopic dermatitis. Of those, 69/90 (76.6%) had a medical history of spoil habit, 49/90 (54%) had caries, 58/90 (64.4%) had malocclusion disease, 13/90 (14.4%) had anatomical dental abnormalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, in the current investigation we found a higher prevalence of atopic dermatitis in pediatric dentistry patients compared to the general population suggesting that dental diseases could be involved in the pathogenesis of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perugia
authors.affiliation: Unit of Dermatology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy - rositasaraceno@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Rosita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saraceno
authors.affiliation: Unit of Dermatology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lorè
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chiaramonte
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Docimo
authors.affiliation: Unit of Dermatology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chimenti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D014071:Tooth Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology