Oral manifestations in chronic renal failure patients attending two hospitals in North Karnataka, India.

AIM

To determine the nature, incidence, and severity of oral manifestations that occur in chronic renal failure (CRF) in patients attending two hospitals in North Karnataka, in comparison with healthy, disease-free controls.

METHODS

The study was carried out with 200 individuals (100 CRF patients and 100 controls). The case group was randomly selected from a population of CRF patients whose glomerular filtration rate (GFR) values were between 15-30 mL/min; the control group was selected in the same age group with normal GFR and was apparently disease free. The patients were asked about dry mouth, taste and halitosis, and mucosal pain, and were examined for oral changes such as tongue coating, pallor, ulceration and enamel hypoplasia. The results obtained from the study were then compared with various other similar studies.

RESULTS

The most common oral findings in the CRF patients were dry mouth (91%), pallor (87%), altered taste (42%), and halitosis (34%). CRF patients showed significantly more oral changes than those in the control group. These changes could be attributed to metabolic disturbances due to renal failure.

CONCLUSION

In the patients studied, the impact of CRF on the oral cavity was evidenced by significant oral changes, which pointed to an inter-relationship between oral health and CRF. Further studies are required to relate the extent of such changes with disease progression.