Oral health in coeliac disease and cow's milk protein intolerance

The oral health of 24 children and adolescents, 19 with coeliac disease (CD) and 5 with cow's milk protein intolerance (CMPI) were compared with that of 24 randomly selected paired controls. Mineralisation disorders in the form of hypoplasias and/or opacities occurred in 74% of the cases of CD and 68% of their controls. All 5 cases with CMPI had mineralisation disorders, as did 2 of their controls. The disorders usually took the form of opacities, and both these and the hypoplasias were of a mild nature in all the groups. Serious hypoplasias did not occur at all. The caries status was, on average, better in the CD and CMPI groups than in the controls. Recurrent oral lesions occurred with almost the same frequency in the intolerance groups and in the controls. The study, therefore, gave no clear evidence that CD or CMPI involves a significant risk of poorer oral health, provided adequate paediatric and dental care is given.