A comparative study of the Oral health Status of Cardiac and Non-Cardiac paediatric patients at Tygerberg Hospital

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the oral and debntal health status of pediatric cardiac patients, 12 years of age and younger, and compare them with non-cardiac patients. A total of 150 children, 75 with known cardiac condition (study group) and 75 no-cardiac (control group) were examined. No statistically significant differences were established in the study between the caries experience score for the cardiac and control groups. The study concludes that the cardiac group generally has a higher decay component and a lower missing component which may be an indication of the lack of dental intervention. The gingival inflammation was significantly higher in the cardiac group although the plaque scores were similar in the two groups.