[Oral health risks in patients with cystic fibrosis].

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients can hypothetically be considered as being high caries risk patients; they frequently consume sugar-rich in-between-meal snacks/drinks and they have a high intake of sugar containing syrups and aerosols (also acidic) and salivary flow reducing medication (beta-2-adrenergica). The aim of this study was to investigate the determining factors of oral health in CF homozygotes, CF heterozygotes and healthy controls. CF homozygotes had significantly the lowest caries experience, while CF heterozygotes had a borderline not significant higher caries experience than healthy controls. CF homozygotes also had significant lower Streptococcus mutans counts than both other groups. CF homozygotes also had significant less gingival bleeding, while no significant differences in plaque and calculus amount were found between the three groups. On behalf of oral hygiene habits, no significant differences were found between the three groups. CF homozygotes appeared to consume more dairy products than the others. The influence of the typical CF medication on oral health did not play a significant role. CF homozygotes had a significant higher total salivary protein concentration than the others, while SDS-PAGE analysis showed a 68 kDa protein being specific in appearance for CF heterozygotes. CF homo- and heterozygotes had significant higher salivary sodium concentrations than controls. CF homozygotes also had a significant higher salivary phosphate concentration than both other groups. The impression that CF patients seem to possess an intrinsic salivary compensatory mechanism should be further investigated.