Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 29, 2025
Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
Oral health status in children with familial Mediterranean fever
Pelin Esmeray1, Tülin İleri Keçeli2, Meryem Tekçiçek2
1Department of Pediatrics, Erzurum Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
Insights
Children with Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) have a high prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease. This study highlights the need for improved oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups for pediatric FMF patients.
Area of Science:
- Oral Health
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Autoinflammatory Diseases
Background:
- Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is the most prevalent hereditary autoinflammatory disease.
- Investigating oral health in children with FMF is crucial due to the systemic nature of the disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the oral health status and oral hygiene practices in pediatric patients diagnosed with FMF.
- To identify potential correlations between FMF disease activity/genetics and oral health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 199 children (3-18 years) with FMF.
- Oral hygiene habits were assessed via interviews; oral health evaluated using DMFT, DMFS, ICDAS-II, PUFA/pufa, GI, and PI indices.
- Examinations included occlusion and oral soft/hard tissues.
Main Results:
- High percentages of children exhibited decayed primary (81.2%) and permanent (54.8%) teeth.
- Mean DMFT was 1.91, dmft was 3.95, with elevated Plaque Index (1.17) and Gingival Index (0.85).
- Recurrent aphthous ulcers were more common in specific FMF mutation types; tooth decay was linked to recent FMF attacks.
Conclusions:
- Children with FMF demonstrate a high prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease.
- These oral health issues represent significant public health concerns within this pediatric population.
- Findings underscore the importance of integrated oral health management for FMF patients.
Background:
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is the most common hereditary autoinflammatory disease. We aimed to investigate the oral health status and oral hygiene habits in children with FMF.
Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, 199 children with FMF, aged between 3-18 years, were included. Demographic findings and oral hygiene habits of children were questioned by face-to-face interview. Oral health status of patients was evaluated using decay-missing-filled index [DMFT (decay-missing-filled teeth), DMFS (decay-missing-filled teeth) for permanent; dmft, dmfs for primary teeth], the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS-II) index, PUFA / pufa index [the presence of severely decayed teeth with visible pulpal involvement (P/p), ulceration caused by dislocated tooth fragments (U/u), fistula (F/f) and abscess (A/a)], gingival (GI) and plaque index (PI). In addition to these, occlusion, oral soft and hard tissues were examined.
Results:
One-hundred-nine (54.8%) of children had at least one decayed permanent tooth and 81.2% of children had at least one decayed primary tooth. The mean DMFT was 1.91±2.45, DMFS was 3.1±4.49, dmft was 3.95±3.54, dmfs was 8.62±8.88, PI was 1.17±0.44, GI was 0.85±0.39. Aphthous mouth ulcer occurred in 19 (9.5%) patients. Recurrent aphthous mouth ulcers were more frequent among patients with one exon-ten and one exon-two mutations than patients with one exon-10 mutation, two exon-ten mutations, or two exon-2 mutations (61.1% vs. 47.9%, 26.1%, 20%, respectively p < 0.001). Tooth decay was more frequent among patients who had attacks in the last six months than those who did not have any attacks during the last six months (97.4% vs. 87.7%, p=0.017).
Conclusion:
Dental caries and periodontal disease, which are public health problems, were seen at a high percentage of children with FMF in our study.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
01:15Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
01:21Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...
01:24Asthma-III: Symptoms and Complications
Classification of Asthma
01:11Oral Cavity
Teeth: The teeth are the hardest structures in our bodies. Humans have two sets of teeth throughout their lifetime: deciduous (baby) teeth and permanent teeth. Each tooth consists of several parts: the crown (visible part), the root (embedded in the jaw), enamel (hard outer...
01:28Physical Assessment of the Respiratory Tract I: Health History
Subjective Data
Subjective data provides vital information about the patient's health history and symptoms. This data is typically collected through interviews in which patients describe their experiences, symptoms, and concerns.
Health history and...