The Influence of Epilepsy on Oral Health Outcomes: A Retrospective Study in South Indian Adults

Introduction Epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder marked by recurrent seizures, affects approximately 50 million people worldwide with a higher prevalence in developing countries. This condition challenges motor skills and coordination, leading to poor oral health maintenance. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of epilepsy on oral health outcomes in adults by contrasting South Indian epileptics with healthy controls. The primary objective was to assess the prevalence of oral health issues in patients with epilepsy compared to healthy individuals and to analyze the types and frequency of dental procedures required in epileptic patients compared to healthy controls in the South Indian population. Materials and methods A retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, India. Approved by the Institutional Human Ethical Committee (Registration ID: IHEC/SDC/OMED-2202/23/106), the study involved 105 epileptic patients and 105 healthy controls from records between January 2021 and December 2023. Both male and female patients within the age limit of 18-55 years were included. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 29.0 (Released 2022; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Results The study involved 210 participants with an equal gender distribution. Valproate was the most common medication used by 39% of epileptic patients. Gingival hyperplasia was significantly more prevalent in the epileptic group (24%). The epileptic group also required more dental procedures, with 32% of teeth needing restoration, 20% root canal treatment, and 20% extraction, compared to 12%, 11%, and 5%, respectively, in the control group. Conclusion Epileptic patients exhibit poorer oral health outcomes, including higher rates of gingival hyperplasia and a greater need for dental procedures compared to healthy controls. These findings highlight the necessity for targeted dental care and regular monitoring for individuals with epilepsy to improve their oral health and overall quality of life.