Investigation of Oral Health-related Quality of Life and Effectiveness of Oral Health Training Given in Children Treated in the Pediatric Hematology Clinic
Author(s): Merve Serme, Gülsüm Duruk* and Arzu Akyay
Abstract
Objective: Treatment of childhood cancers causes many oral complications in children. In addition, oral health is often neglected in these patients. This study aimed to investigate the OHRQoL and the effectiveness of oral health training (OHT) in pediatric patients with cancer treated in the pediatric hematology clinic. Methods: Twenty-nine patients and their parents participated in this study. The patients were divided into two groups, the outpatient treatment group (group-1) and the inpatient treatment group (group-2). A questionnaire was administered to the parents about the families’ sociodemographic and medical status and children’s oral health behavior. In addition, the OHRQoL with Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale and Dental Neglect Scale were evaluated for each patient. Oral examination findings of gingival (GI, PI, OHI-S) and dental (dmft, dmfs, ds, pufa, CAST) health were recorded. OHT was given to the patients together with their parents. All patients’ C-reactive protein values were recorded before and after OHT. Results: The mean dmft score was 5.52±4.58. None of the patients had not the necessary dental treatment before chemotherapy and had not been given OHT before. There was no statistical difference between the groups in terms of oral findings. The mean OHI-S score decreased significantly after OHT (p<00.1). Conclusions: Oral and gingival health can be regained in pediatric patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy with OHT. Providing information about oral and dental care to these patients and their parents should be a part of the treatment process and the necessary training should be given to the pediatric hemato-oncologists to direct these patients to dentists before administration of chemotherapy.