Study of the oral microbial flora in patients with renal disease.

AIM

The aim of this study is to bacteriologically investigate the oral environment in patients with renal disease and thereby reveal their influence on both caries and periodontal diseases.

METHODS

The authors compared oral microbial flora between patients with renal disease (non-haemodialysis: n = 40, haemodialysis: n = 41) and healthy people (n = 62), and also between haemodialysis patients and non-haemodialysis patients in the disease group. Cariogenic bacteria were identified according to Dentocult System, whereas periodontal bacteria were identified using the polymerase chain reaction method.

RESULTS

When comparing between patients with renal disease and healthy people, the detected number of cariogenic bacteria and the detection rates of the periodontal bacteria in the patients with renal disease were significantly higher than in healthy people (P < 0.05). When comparing the patients on haemodialysis with those not receiving it, no significant differences in the detected number of cariogenic bacteria were observed. However, the detection rates of periodontal bacteria were lower in patients on haemodialysis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that patients with renal disease tend to have a high risk of dental caries and periodontal disease than the control.