Influence of dialysis therapies on oral health: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVES
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem worldwide. Currently, the link between oral health status, dialysis modality, and dialysis vintage is still not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate periodontal disease, dental caries, and Candida colonization among patients under hemodialysis (HD) therapy, peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy, and PD with previous history of HD (HD/PD).


METHOD AND MATERIALS
The clinical history, smoking, and oral hygiene habits were recorded. Decayed, missing, or filled teeth (DMFT) index, Visible Plaque Index (VPI), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing, saliva flow rate, saliva pH, and oral yeast colonization were assessed.


RESULTS
HD/PD patients were generally submitted to longer periods of dialysis therapy than the other groups. The number of decayed and filled teeth did not differ between groups; HD patients presented a higher number of teeth, but poor periodontal status. Among the three groups, HD patients presented higher VPI, CAL, and oral Candida colonization, independently of the time under dialysis therapy. Candida albicans (HD and PD), Candida krusei (HD), and Candida carpophila (PD) were isolated in these patients.


CONCLUSION
HD presented a more adverse impact on oral health than PD, particularly periodontal disease and oral Candida colonization; however, this impact on oral health appears to be reduced or ameliorated when patients change from HD to PD therapy.
['Pereira-Lopes|Otília|O|', 'Simões-Silva|Liliana|L|', 'Araujo|Ricardo|R|', 'Correia-Sousa|Joana|J|', 'Braga|Ana C|AC|', 'Soares-Silva|Isabel|I|', 'Sampaio-Maia|Benedita|B|']
D003731:Dental Caries D006801:Humans D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic D009909:Oral Health D010865:Pilot Projects D006435:Renal Dialysis
oral health periodontal disease saliva renal insufficiency renal replacement therapy ﻿Candida﻿