Caries Experience of Leukemic Children During Intensive Course of Chemotherapy

Objective: To determine the incidence of dental caries in 64 leukemic children who received dental treatment before the initiation of chemotherapy and had intensive oral care during the course.

Design: Caries experience (deft/DMFT), white-spot lesions (enamel demineralization), premature primary molar extractions and carious first permanent molars were investigated before and after intensive therapy.

Setting: Pediatric Dental Care Unit and Department of Pediatric Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Uludağ University.

Results: The dental caries level was insignificantly higher following chemotherapy compared to the initial caries level. However the prevalence of white-spot lesions was significantly increased during the course. Caries level in 30 subjects (47%) remained stable.

Conclusion: Caries level in leukemic children, who were not caries-free before chemotherapy, could be stabilized by caries prevention methods such as frequent topical fluoride applications and fissure sealants, intensive oral care and improved self-care practices.