Effect of dental care programme and fluoridation in the prevention of dental caries in asthmatic children.
To investigate the effect of a regular dental care programme on the dental health of asthmatic children.



This prospective, controlled study was conducted at Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey, between 2012 and 2014, and comprised asthmatic and non-asthmatic children between 4 and 16 years of age who used inhaler corticosteroid treatment for at least 1 year. Patients were examined for dental caries, gingival index, salivary flow rate, and salivary pH values at baseline, 6 months, and at the end of the first year. Demographic features and tooth-brushing habits of the asthmatic and non-asthmatic children were also analysed. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis.



Of the 102 patients, there were 51(50%) each in asthmatic and non-asthmatic groups. Besides, 38(70.6%) participants were boys and 15(29.4%) were girls in the first group compared to 30(58.8%) boys and 21(41.2%) girls in the second group. The mean age was 11.16±3.10 years and 10.33±2.62 years, respectively, in the two groups. The number of asthmatic patients was 45(88.2%) in visit 2 and 37(72.5%) in visit 3, whereas the number of participants for the control group was 41(80.4%) in visit 2 and 36(70.4%) in visit 3. During the first visit, mean values for salivary pH and flow rate were 7.135 0.15 and 3.878 0.71 mL/min among asthma patients, and 7.158 0.14 and 4.684 0.50 among controls. In the first visit, the rate of gingivitis was 31(60.8%) in asthmatic children and 12(23.5%) in the control group. During the third visit, the rate was 4(11.1%) and 5(13.5%) among the two groups, respectively.



Decreased salivary flow rates associated with the drugs used by asthmatic patients caused an increase in the rate of dental caries and gingival disorders.
Children Dental Clinic, Dokuz Eylul University, School of Medicine, Turkey.
Gulser
G
Kilinc
Department of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylul University, School of Medicine, Turkey.
Nevin
N
Uzuner
Department of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylul University, School of Medicine, Turkey.
Ozkan
O
Karaman
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003729:Dental Care; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005457:Fluoridation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014421:Turkey
 Asthma, Dental Caries, Preventive Dental Treatment, Salivary pH, Salivary flow rate, Fluoride