Caries experience in individuals with cleft lip and/or palate in China.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the levels of dental caries in subjects with cleft lip and/or palate in China in comparison with controls.

DESIGN

A total of 380 subjects with cleft lip and/or palate and 339 non cleft control subjects were examined for dental caries using the decayed-missing-filled-teeth (DMFT/dmft) and decayed-missing-filled-surfaces (DMFS/dmfs) index. A questionnaire was used to acquire subjects' living habits and family socioeconomic status.

SETTING

West China Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University.

SUBJECTS

Individuals between 3 and 25 years of age.

RESULTS

Caries prevalence and scores for dmft/DMFT and dmfs/DMFS were significantly higher in subjects with cleft palates when compared with the non cleft control group (p < .05), except 3- to 5-year-old children (p > .05). However, in the 3- to 5-year-old group, children with cleft lip and/or palate had significantly more caries than children of the same age with only a cleft lip with or without alveolus (p < .05). Children whose clefts had been surgically repaired had a lower dmft and dmfs than those whose clefts had not been surgically repaired (p < .05).

CONCLUSION

Individuals with oral cleft are at an increased risk for dental caries. The types of cleft and the surgical repair are two important factors for dental caries.