Oral and radiographic findings in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the oral status, cortical and spongy bone density of the mandible, and dental pulp calcification between the patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and age- and sex-matched healthy controls.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Thirteen end stage renal disease patients undergoing CAPD and 17 age- and sex- matched healthy volunteers were enrolled. The questionnaires, oral radiography, and intraoral examination, including number of decayed teeth, filled teeth, missing teeth, plaque index, gingival index, calculus index, and oral hygiene index were performed in both groups. Two views of oral radiology, comprising panoramic and bite-wing radiographs, were taken to evaluate mandibular bone density and pulp calcification. The data were analyzed with t-test and Mann-Whitney U tests.

RESULTS

Both groups were similar in baseline demographics, including age, sex, and education. Plaque index, calculus index, and oral hygiene index of the CAPD patients were significantly worse than the controls' (p = 0.025, 0.015, and 0.014, respectively). Percentage of decayed teeth and missing teeth of the CAPD patients had a trend to be higher than control. The percentage of filled teeth, decayed missing filling tooth (DMFT) index, sum of percentage DMFT, gingival index, average of spongy and cortical bone densities, and the percentage of pulp calcification were comparable in both groups.

CONCLUSION

CAPD had poorer oral hygiene than the healthy; however; DMFT pulp calcification, and bone density were not differenct from the healthy. This urges the medical personnel to examine all CAPD patients in order to prevent hematogenous spreading of occult oral infection.