Gingivitis in children with oncological diseases and clinically healthy children

Abstract

The interest in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of gingivitis in children with malignant diseases on chemotherapy continuously increases. The purpose of the present study was to compare the alterations of the gingiva in children with oncological diseases and clinically healthy children in the city of Varna. During the period between January 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018, 31 children, 20 boys and 11 girls at a mean age of 10.42 years with oncological diseases and 28 clinically healthy children, 16 boys and 12 girls at a mean age of 9.57 years were examined. The values of Silness-Loe plaque index and of Loe-Silness gingival index were registered. Gingivitis was diagnosed in 24 ill children and 12 children in the control group. The mean Silness-Loe plaque index values in ill and healthy boys were 2.02±1.12 and 1.23±0.979 (р<0.05), and in ill and healthy girls - 1.64±0.71 and 1.39±0.934 (р>0.05), respectively. The mean Loe-Silness gingival index values in ill and healthy boys were 1.99±1.026 and 0.94±1.065 (р<0.001), and in ill and healthy girls - 1.92±0.672 and 1.08±1.382 (р>0.05), respectively. The differences concerning the mean values of the Silness-Loe index and the Loe-Silness one between patients and controls were statistically significant (1.913±0.902 versus 1.300±0.942; р<0.02, and 1.966±0.904 versus 1.00±1.186; р<0.001, respectively). There was a more severe gingival damage in children with malignant diseases on chemotherapy when compared to clinically healthy children. Additional research devoted to oral mucosa diseases in the children with oncological pathology is needed.