DENTAL ENAMEL DEFECTS IN CELIAC PATIENTS

Objective. The incidence and distribution of enamel defects among pati ents with celiac disease were examined. Study design. The oral cavity was explored in 137 patients with celiac disease (mean age 16.2 years; age range 5 to 68 years) and in 52 control patients (mean age 19.8 ye ars; age range 5 to 64 years). Permanent dentition enamel defects were recorded, along with their number and locations. The decayed, missing , and filled teeth index rates were also established, and an investiga tion was made of the human leukocyte antigens among the patients with celiac disease. The results obtained were analyzed with the chi-square d test statistical significance being regarded for p less than or equa l to 0.05. Results. Enamel defects were observed in 72 (52.5%) of the patients with celiac disease (52 patients had systematic defects) and in 22 (42.3%) of the control patients (9 patients had systematic defec ts). Systematic defects were significantly more common in the celiac d isease group. In the patients with celiac disease, 72.2% were symmetri cal, compared with 40.9% of the defects in the control patients. The i ncisors were the most frequently affected teeth, the extent of involve ment being significantly greater in the celiac disease group. In patie nts with celiac disease, DR7, DR3, and DQ2 were the most commonly obse rved human leukocyte antigens. The mean decayed, missing, and filled t eeth index rates were 4.8 and 6.2 in the celiac disease group and the control group, respectively. Conclusions, Enamel defects are common am ong patients with celiac disease. They tend to be bilateral and symmet rical, and they are chronologically distributed. The lesions affect ma inly the incisors and the molars. Patients with such characteristics s hould be evaluated for possible celiac disease.