RT  - Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry
ID  - 10.17796/jcpd.33.4.2j108w0225241867
T1  - Oral Health Status of Children with Congenital Heart Disease and the Awareness, Attitude and Knowledge of their Parents
A1  - Kavita Rai
A1  - Supriya S
A1  - Amitha M Hegde
K1  - Congenital heart disease
K1  - oral health
K1  - awareness
K1  - attitude
K1  - parents
K1  - children
YR  - 2009
SP  - 315
AB  - <p>The oral health status of children with congenital heart diseases and the parental awareness on maintaining good oral health and attitude towards preventive dental health measures were evaluated. A total of 170 children between the age group of 1-16yrs belonging to both genders, with the history of congenital heart disease from Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram and Narayana Hrudayalaya Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore were examined. Oral lesions and caries experience were recorded using modified WHO oral health assessment form. Oral hygiene of the children with congenital heart disease was found to be poor with tongue coating (50.6%), plaque (41.8%), calculus(35.3%), and caries (42.4%). Parental awareness on the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene, preventive dentistry, medicinal decay and its systemic effects has been found to be very poor. Dentistry should give priority to patients whose general health may be put at risk by poor dental health. Closer cooperation between Pediatrician, Pediatric Cardiologists and Pediatric Dentists could help improve dental care for these children.</p>