Dental caries as a common dental disease: prevalence and association with gastrointestinal pathology in children (a literature review)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14739/2310-1210.2025.2.322095Keywords:
dental caries, enamel resistance, children, gastrointestinal diseasesAbstract
Dental caries is the most widespread dental disease, with a prevalence among the pediatric population worldwide ranging from 39.6 % to 75.43 %, and an intensity of 0.89–3.40 teeth. In Ukraine, the prevalence of dental caries varies from 42 % to 96 %, with an intensity of carious lesions ranging from 0.07 to 6.50 teeth. Higher rates of dental caries have been observed in children with somatic diseases, which contribute to the formation of deficient dental hard tissue structure, reduced enamel resistance, and favorable conditions for caries development.
The aim of the study: to examine and analyze the data on the prevalence of dental caries in permanent teeth in children with chronic gastrointestinal tract (GIT) diseases based on Ukrainian and foreign scientific research.
Materials and methods. The bibliosemantic method was applied to study the issue of dental hard tissue diseases in children with GIT disorders. Results of Ukrainian and foreign studies from available electronic resources such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for the period 1990–2024 were analyzed.
Results. A review of thematic scientific sources indicates on increasing in the prevalence of GIT diseases among children of different ages, with a clear trend toward the “rejuvenation” of these diseases globally and in Ukraine particularly. Significantly higher rates of dental caries were identified in children with these somatic pathologies compared to healthy children, with a predominance of subcompensated and decompensated forms, complicated caries, and reduced enamel. Diverse perspectives were observed regarding the impact of H. pylori on the formation of dental caries. In addition to caries, enamel hypoplasia and erosion of dental hard tissues were noted in children with GIT diseases.
Conclusions. According to the literature, there is a trend of GIT disease increasing prevalence among the pediatric population in Ukraine, especially among children under one year old (an increase of 13.0 %) and adolescents (an increase of 73.7 %). In children with GIT disorders, the prevalence of dental caries, as reported in the literature, ranges from 61.54 % to 100.00 %, with an intensity of 3.31 to 8.96 teeth. Contradictory data regarding the relationship between GIT diseases and dental caries, including the influence of H. pylori on the formation of caries-susceptible enamel, underscores the relevance and importance of further research on this issue.
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