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. 2021 Mar 28;18(7):3497.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18073497.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of an Interdisciplinary Preventive Oral Hygiene Program for Children with Congenital Heart Disease

Nelly Schulz-Weidner  1 , Thushiha Logeswaran  2 , Christian Jux  2 , Maximiliane Amelie Schlenz  3 , Norbert Krämer  1 , Julia Camilla Bulski  1
Affiliations

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of an Interdisciplinary Preventive Oral Hygiene Program for Children with Congenital Heart Disease

Nelly Schulz-Weidner et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

It is recognized that children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are predisposed to having poorer oral health. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary preventive oral hygiene program (POHP) for children with CHD. The aim was the reduction of the incidence of dental caries, as well as improvement of oral hygiene. The total number of participants in this study was 107 children with CHD aged between two to six years. At baseline, these children were compared to a healthy control group (HCG) of 101 children of similar age from five preschools in Giessen, Germany. All examinations were carried out before the introduction of a standardized POHP. The Quigley/Hein Plaque- (QHI), Silness/Loe Gingival- (GI) and Gingival Hyperplasia Index (GHI) were determined. Starting with baseline, the described procedures were repeated in the CHD group during two follow-ups after three and six months. In the first examination, compared to controls, CHD children showed a significantly (p < 0.05) poorer oral hygiene (QHI: 2.6; GI: 0.3; GHI: 0.2). All oral hygiene parameters (QHI, GI, GHI) of the CHD group improved significantly over the whole period of the preventive program (p < 0.05). These results demonstrated an improvement in CHD children involved in a standardized POHP. The data with regard to the general health of these risk patients, including prevention of endocarditis, demonstrate the necessity of an interdisciplinary approach between pediatric cardiologists, pediatricians and dentists.

Keywords: congenital heart disease; interdisciplinary study; oral health status; oral hygiene program; pediatric dentistry.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean dmf-t values and initial carious teeth (i-t) in the intervention group (CHD) and healthy control group (HCG) at baseline and during the two follow-ups (FU1 and FU2) of the CHD group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Quigley/Hein Plaque Index (QHI). Mean values including standard deviation of the intervention group (CHD) and healthy control group (HCG) at baseline and during the two follow-ups (FU1 and FU2) of the CHD group. * Mann-Whitney-U test (p < 0.05), ** t-test (p < 0.05).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Silness/Loe Gingival Index (GI) and Gingival Hyperplasia Index (GHI). Mean values including standard deviation of the intervention group (CHD) and healthy control group (HCG) at baseline and during the two follow-ups (FU1 and FU2) of the CHD group. * Mann-Whitney-U test (p < 0.05), ** Wilcoxon test (p < 0.05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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