DENTAL AND PERIODONTAL-DISEASE IN PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS - ROLE OF ETIOLOGY OF LIVER-DISEASE

Background/Aims: Bacterial infections are frequent complications in pa tients with cirrhosis, especially in alcoholics. A potential source of infection may be dental foci, The aim of the study was to assess the role of cirrhosis and chronic alcoholism in the development of dental or periodontal disease. Methods: Dental and periodontal examinations w ere performed prospectively in 97 patients with cirrhosis (alcoholic: 64, nonalcoholic: 33), in 68 alcoholics without cirrhosis and in 71 he althy subjects (subdivided into age groups: 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, and 5 1-60 years). Results: Measures of oral hygiene (p<0.01), dental care ( p<0.001), and periodontal parameters were worse and the number of teet h requiring treatment (p<0.001) was higher in alcoholics with or witho ut cirrhosis than in healthy subjects and nonalcoholic patients with c irrhosis. Alcoholics had a lower total number of teeth than patients w ithout alcohol abuse and healthy controls (p<0.05). The dental and per iodontal status of patients with nonalcoholic cirrhosis did not differ from the control group. The severity and duration of liver disease ha d no influence on dental and periodontal disease. Conclusion: The pres ence of cirrhosis itself therefore, is not a predisposing factor for d ental and periodontal diseases. In alcoholics, these diseases appear t o be caused primarily by bad oral hygiene and poor dental care.