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ORAL HYGIENE IN CHILDREN WITH DISTURBANCES IN TOOTH FORMATION WHO WERE AFFECTED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE ChNPP
S F Liubarets1, V V Kaminskyi2, T F Liubarets2
1Bogomolets National Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, 13 Tarasa Shevchenko Blvd., Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine.
Insights
Children with tooth formation disturbances living in Chernobyl-affected areas exhibit poor oral hygiene, increasing caries risk. This highlights the need for targeted oral care interventions, considering radiation exposure and social factors.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Environmental Health
- Radiation Biology
Background:
- Disturbances in tooth formation (DTF) can predispose children to dental caries.
- Children residing in areas contaminated after the Chornobyl NPP accident may face additional health risks.
- Assessing oral hygiene is crucial for preventing caries complications, especially in vulnerable populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate oral hygiene status in children with DTF living in radiologically contaminated zones.
- To identify factors contributing to poor oral hygiene and increased caries risk in this population.
- To inform the development of preventive strategies for DTF complications.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 1470 children aged 6-14 with DTF, including 528 from radiologically contaminated zones (III and IV) after the Chornobyl NPP accident.
- Clinical examination using the Green-Vermillion and Silness-Loe oral hygiene indices.
- Assessment of radiation dose (≤1 mSv/year) and soil contamination levels (137Cs: 1-15 Ci/km2).
Main Results:
- Children with DTF, chronic diseases, or burdened radiation history showed significantly poorer oral hygiene.
- The Green-Vermillion index averaged 1.7 ± 0.51, indicating unsatisfactory hygiene.
- The Silness-Loe index averaged 1.65 ± 0.46, indicating poor hygiene.
Conclusions:
- Children with DTF in Chernobyl-affected areas exhibit significantly deteriorated oral hygiene, likely due to low-dose radiation and social factors.
- Insufficient knowledge and skills in oral hygiene were prevalent across all surveyed children, irrespective of residence.
- Preventive measures for DTF complications must integrate oral hygiene status, knowledge levels, and utilize specific hygiene products like anti-caries toothpastes and mouthwashes.
Objective:
evaluation of oral hygiene to enhance the prophylaxis of complications specifically of dental caries inchildren with disturbances in tooth formation (DTF) who live on radiologically contaminated territories after theChornobyl NPP (ChNPP) accident.
Materials And Methods:
Children aged 6-14 years (n = 1470) with DTF were the study subjects examined in 2012-2016. Among them there were (n = 528) residents of the zones III and IV of radiological contamination after theChNPP accident with 137Cs soil contamination density 1-15 Ci/km2. The effective radiation dose in them was notexceeding 1 mSv/year. The Green-Vermillion and Silness-Loe oral hygiene indices were assesses within clinicalexamination methods.
Results:
The worth oral hygiene was revealed in children having got the DTF, compensated chronic diseases oforgans and systems, and in those with burdened radiation history. The Green-Vermilion and Silness-Loe indices were1.7 ± 0.51 and 1.65 ± 0.46 respectively.
Conclusions:
A significant deterioration in oral hygiene confirmed by the highest values of the Green-Vermillion index (1.7 ± 0.51; p < 0.001 - «unsatisfactory oral hygiene» criterion) and Silness-Loe index (1.65 ± 0.46; p < 0.001 -«poor oral hygiene» criterion) was found in children with DTF aged 6-14 years being residents of contaminated areasas a result of the Chernobyl accident. The revealed deterioration may be due to a set of negative factors, includingthe impact of ionizing radiation in low doses and peculiarities of social status. Results of the questioning of surveyed pediatric contingents both having got an DTF and with no defects of the hard tissues of teeth indicate aninsufficient level of knowledge and skills in hygienic care of oral cavity regardless of the area of residence.Development of a set of measures to prevent the DTF complications in children should be carried out taking intoaccount the state of oral hygiene, level of knowledge and skills in oral care, and include the use of hygiene products, namely toothpastes and anti-caries mouthwashes.
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