Comparative Assessment of Dental Caries Status and Selected Salivary Constituents in Children with Beta Thalassemia

Aim: To compare the dental caries status and selected salivary constituents in β thalassemic and healthy children. Methods: A total of 100 children were included in the study, study group consisted of 50 diagnosed cases of Thalassemia attending the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Bangalore and control group consisted of 50 healthy children who visited the Department of Pediatric and Preventive dentistry, V S dental college, Bangalore for routine dental check-up. Salivary constituents like calcium, potassium, phosphorous, sodium, urea and magnesium were assessed using salivary kits and dental caries was recorded according to WHO criteria 2013. Results: Salivary calcium, sodium, urea and magnesium levels were lower and salivary potassium and phosphorous levels were higher in thalassemic children when compared to that of healthy children and the results were statistically significant only for salivary urea levels. There was a positive correlation between salivary parameters and dental caries. Conclusion: Thalassemic children are more prone to dental caries which could be attributed to poor oral hygiene, poor motivation, endocrine problems, malocclusion, frequent blood transfusion, and immune deficiency. In the present study reduced salivary calcium, sodium, urea, and magnesium levels and increased salivary potassium and phosphorous levels in thalassemic children, could be the causative factors for the increased incidence of dental caries in these children.