A Survey of the Oral Health Conditions of Hemophilic Children

Abstract

Hemophilia is a rare disorder that is characterized by excessive bleeding after injury. This condition requires additional medical attention, including the supplementation of blood coagulation factors, before invasive dental treatment or surgery can be performed. For these reasons, it is important for hemophilic children to make special efforts to prevent oral disease, such as receiving regular dental check-ups. In this study, we investigated the oral health conditions of hemophilic children. The study was carried out during a medical examination in multiple clinical departments at Hiroshima University Hospital in 2015.

The subjects included 31 pediatric patients, of which 30 were male and one was female. The ages of the children ranged from 2 years, 2 months to 17 years, 11 months. The average age was 9 years, 6 months. The results indicated that the prevalence of dental caries was higher in children with hemophilia compared to other children in the same age group. Furthermore, the mean dft/DMFT was higher in children with hemophilia. In terms of periodontal conditions, most of the children with hemophilia displayed pathological findings that included gingival bleeding and calculus deposition. According to the questionnaire, less than half of the hemophilic children were advised to go for regular dental check-ups by a medical doctor and/or dentist.

This survey showed that the oral health conditions of hemophilic children were poor in terms of both dental caries and periodontal conditions. In addition, the study showed that healthcare professionals did not provide these patients with sufficient information to prevent oral disease. A desirable outcome would be to get medical professionals to cooperate in this regard and to educate these patients about the importance of good oral health practices, as well as regular dental check-ups.