Caries Experience Varies in Egyptian Children With Different Combinations of Cleft Lip and Palate and Is Related to Carbohydrate Intake Between Meals

Objectives: Our aim was to assess the prevalence of dental caries in Egyptian children with cleft lip or cleft lip and palate (CLP), according to dietary habits, and to assess the level of dental care given to these patients.

Design: Children aged 4 to 12 years (N = 120) with CLP were recruited: 54 with primary dentition and 66 with mixed dentition. Personal data were gathered and parents completed a 5-day diet diary for the children. The prevalence of dental caries was determined with the dmft and DMFT indices, and debris and calculus were assessed with the simplified oral hygiene index.

Results: Of this, 16.7% of children were caries-free. Caries experience was directly correlated with the intake of carbohydrate-containing items between meals, but not with intake at meal times. Oral-hygiene (debris) status did not differ significantly between the CLP groups. Calculus was found in 6.6% of the children. Only 8.3% of the study population had received oral-hygiene instructions from a health care professional.

Conclusion: A direct correlation was found between caries experience and the intake of sugar-containing items in-between meals, indicating the importance of dietary advice into the comprehensive dental management of patients with CLP. Our sample had not received effective dental services.

Keywords: DMF; caries; cleft lip; cleft palate; diet.