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Oral health in non‐institutionalized epileptic children with special reference to phenytoin medication
Author(s) -
Modéer Thomas,
Dahllöf Göran,
Theorell Klas
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1986.tb01524.x
Subject(s) - medicine , phenytoin , epilepsy , oral health , pediatrics , psychiatry , family medicine
Abstract The periodontal condition and caries experience was studied in non‐institutionalized epileptic children ( n = 55) who had not been subjected to any additional preventive measures. The children were distributed in a phenytoin (PHT) group with a mean age of 13.2 yr and a control group (mean age 11.8 yr) consisting of children treated with other anticonvulsants. The PHT group had a DF‐s mean value of 5.4 in comparison to 7.2 in the control group. Determinations of gingival overgrowth based on the presence of gingival units with increased probing depth (> 4 mm) as well as the thickness of the marginal gingiva in buccolingual dimension measured on stone casts were performed. Although the plaque level and degree of gingival inflammation were similar in the two groups, 43% of the children in the PHT group showed one or more gingival units with increased probing depth (>4 mm), but none in the control group. The thickness of the marginal gingiva was significantly ( P < 0.001) higher in the phenytoin‐treated children compared to children who had never had phenytoin medication. In the PHT‐group gingival overgrowth based on gingival units with increased probing depth was statistically significantly and positively associated with the variables gingivitis ( P < 0.05), visible plaque index ( P < 0.01), age ( P < 0.01) and years on PHT therapy ( P < 0.05).