Hemophilia and oral health

The aim was to overview the oral health aspects in hemophilia patients.

An electronic search of Medline (Pub Med), Cochrane, SSCI (Social Citation Index), SCI (Science Citation Index) databases from 1982 to the present, using the following search words: hemophilia, oral health, dental caries, dental caries prevalence, gingivitis, periodontitis, primary dentition, permanent dentition, dental treatment and review, was performed. The search yielded 196 titles and abstracts on chosen words. All articles were full-text reviewed and 40 of publications were included.

Nowadays coagulation factor abnormalities are the most common of inherited bleeding disorders, but occur much less frequently approximating 10000-50000 male births than acquired coagulation defects. Von Willebrand disease, Hemophilia A and Hemophilia B account for 95-97% of all coagulation deficiencies. Hemophilias A and B are subdivided according to the factor's activity levels in the blood: mild, moderate or severe. The two main oral diseases affecting patients with hemophilia are the same as for the rest of population, i.e. dental caries and gingivitis/periodontitis. Only a few studies concerning oral health aspects in hemophilia patients were carried out. Some controversy exists concerning caries prevalence in both primary and permanent dentitions in children with hemophilia. People with congenital hemorrhagic diatheses constitute a very small proportion of the total population. Due to that fact treatment of such patients becomes a challenge to the most of dentists due to the fact that most of them have no experience in dealing with dental problems in such patients.

There is a lack of epidemiological studies in oral health status of hemophilia patient.