Oral aspects in celiac disease children: clinical and dental enamel chemical evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral manifestations of celiac disease (CD), the chemical composition of dental enamel, and the occurrence of CD in children with dental enamel defects (DEDs).

STUDY DESIGN: In the study, 52 children with CD and 52 controls were examined for DEDs, recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), dental caries experience, and salivary parameters. In addition, 10 exfoliated primary enamel molars from each group were analyzed by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Fifty children with DEDs were submitted to CD diagnosis.

RESULTS: Among the children with CD, a higher prevalence of DEDs (P = .00001) and RAS (P = .0052), lower caries experience (P = .0024), and reduction of salivary flow (P = .0060) were observed. Dental enamel from the children with CD demonstrated a lower calcium-to-phosphorus ratio (P = .0136), but no difference in the carbonate-to-phosphate ratio (P = .5862) was observed. In the multivariate analysis, CD was a protective factor for caries (OR = 0.74) and a risk factor for RAS (OR3.23).

CONCLUSIONS: The children with CD presented with more RAS, DEDs, reduction of salivary flow, and chemical alterations in the enamel.