Prevalence of dental caries, oral health status, malocclusion status, and dental treatment needs in thalassemic children: A cross-sectional study

Background: Thalassemia is a hemoglobinopathy-associated genetic disease resulting due to defective synthesis of globin chains, causing defects in the skeletal and oral structures.

Aim: This cross-sectional study was designed to analyze the prevalence of dental caries, oral health status, malocclusion status, and dental treatment needs in thalassemic children.

Materials and methods: Institutional Ethical committee clearance was obtained before starting the study. The study sample comprised 100 thalassemic and 100 normal children in which oral disease markers like dmft/DMFT index, plaque index, gingival index, and Angle's classification for malocclusion were used. The statistical tool used was 'one-way ANOVA' with the probability set at 0.05.

Results and observations: Statistically significant differences in prevalence of dental caries, periodontal disease, malocclusion, and treatment needs were noted in thalassemic individuals when compared to normal subjects.

Conclusion: The present study has given an insight into the various oral and dentomaxillofacial manifestations of thalassemia, thus considering the importance of routine oral examination for the prevention of dental caries and periodontal diseases.