TY - JOUR

T1 - A population-based observational study of dental caries among survivors of childhood cancer

AU - Wogelius, Pia

AU - Dahllöf, Göran

AU - Gorst-Rasmussen, Anders

AU - Sørensen, Henrik Toft

AU - Rosthøj, Steen

AU - Poulsen, Sven

N1 - (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - BACKGROUND: The few published studies on caries among childhood cancer survivors are small and their results are conflicting. The study aim was to examine the risk of dental caries among children who have survived cancer. PROCEDURE: We included 299,426 7-year-old, 313,461 12-year-old, and 301,930 15-year-old children born between 1984 and 1988 in a nationwide population-based study linking records from Danish Cancer Registry with records from the national database on oral health. Children whose dental examinations had been preceded by a cancer diagnosis (288 7-year-old, 459 12-year-old, and 526 15-year-old) were compared with children without cancer according to presence of caries: caries-free children; children with any caries experience; and children with severe caries experience (i.e., caries in one or more smooth tooth surface). RESULTS: Children diagnosed with cancer before the age of 5 years did not have increased caries prevalence in permanent teeth at ages 12; and 15. Children diagnosed with cancer between 5 and 6 years of age had an increased prevalence of severe caries at age 12 years (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.59 (95% CI: 1.09-2.31; P = 0.02)), but this difference disappeared by age 15. For children diagnosed with cancer at 5 or 6 years of age and who received radiation therapy the PR of severe caries was 1.52 (95% CI: 0.97-2.37; P = 0.07), 2.13 (95% CI: 0.89-5.10; P = 0.09), and 0.31 (95% CI: 0.07-1.45; P = 0.13) at ages seven, 12 and 15 years respectively. CONCLUSION: Cancer and cancer treatment during childhood are risk factors for caries.

AB - BACKGROUND: The few published studies on caries among childhood cancer survivors are small and their results are conflicting. The study aim was to examine the risk of dental caries among children who have survived cancer. PROCEDURE: We included 299,426 7-year-old, 313,461 12-year-old, and 301,930 15-year-old children born between 1984 and 1988 in a nationwide population-based study linking records from Danish Cancer Registry with records from the national database on oral health. Children whose dental examinations had been preceded by a cancer diagnosis (288 7-year-old, 459 12-year-old, and 526 15-year-old) were compared with children without cancer according to presence of caries: caries-free children; children with any caries experience; and children with severe caries experience (i.e., caries in one or more smooth tooth surface). RESULTS: Children diagnosed with cancer before the age of 5 years did not have increased caries prevalence in permanent teeth at ages 12; and 15. Children diagnosed with cancer between 5 and 6 years of age had an increased prevalence of severe caries at age 12 years (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.59 (95% CI: 1.09-2.31; P = 0.02)), but this difference disappeared by age 15. For children diagnosed with cancer at 5 or 6 years of age and who received radiation therapy the PR of severe caries was 1.52 (95% CI: 0.97-2.37; P = 0.07), 2.13 (95% CI: 0.89-5.10; P = 0.09), and 0.31 (95% CI: 0.07-1.45; P = 0.13) at ages seven, 12 and 15 years respectively. CONCLUSION: Cancer and cancer treatment during childhood are risk factors for caries.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Age Factors

KW - Child

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - Denmark

KW - Dental Caries

KW - Humans

KW - Neoplasms

KW - Prevalence

KW - Registries

U2 - 10.1002/pbc.21464

DO - 10.1002/pbc.21464

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 18273868

VL - 50

SP - 1221

EP - 1226

JO - Pediatric Blood & Cancer

JF - Pediatric Blood & Cancer

SN - 1545-5009

IS - 6

ER -