Comparison of hepatitis B-infected and healthy individuals in terms of DMFT scores, endodontic treatment and extraction numbers: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the oral health of hepatitis B-infected individuals by comparing the DMFT index, which is recommended by the World Health Organization for assessing oral health, and the extraction and root canal treatment rates with those of healthy patients. Materials and Method: The panoramic radiographs of 212 hepatitis B-infected and 213 healthy individuals aged 18-74 years who applied for dental treatment between January and June 2018 were evaluated. Using the panoramic radiographs, the numbers of teeth subject to root canal treatment (RCT), decay (D), extraction (M), and restorative and prosthetic treatments (F) were recorded along with the total DMFT score. These rates were compared within and between the different age groups (18-34, 35-44, 45-65, and 66-74) and genders. The statistical analyses were performed using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The level of significance was set to be p 0.05). Conclusion: When compared to healthy individuals, the DMFT, D, and M rates of individuals infected with hepatitis B were found to be higher, but the F and RCT rates were lower. Hepatitis B-infected individuals should be motivated to improve their oral health

Keywords

• dental caries
• endodontics
• hepatitis b
• tooth extraction