Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the oral and dental findings in children with Fanconi anemia (FA).
Methods: The study included 26 FA patients who came to the hospital (Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Pediatric Hematology Unit) from the central region of Anatolia (17 [65%] mole, 9 [35%] female; mean age = 10.0 +/- 5.2 years (range = 2-18; median = 9 years]). Oral and radiological examinations and salivary collection were performed at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry of Hacettepe University Faculty of Dentistry.
Results: Among 26 FA children: (a) 16 (62%) had never visited a dentist; (b) 6 (23%) had visited a dentist once; and (c) 4 (15%) had visited a dentist regularly. Furthermore: (a) only 5 children (19%) brushed their teeth regularly; (b) 7 (27%) had never brushed their teeth previously; and (c) the other 14 (54%) had brushed their teeth rarely. The prevalence of dental caries was 35% in this study's patients. Gingival examination revealed that 9 (35%) children had gingivitis and the other 17 (65%) had normal gingival health status. Examination of the oral cavity revealed that: (a) 3 children (12%) had a coated tongue; and (b) 1 (4%) had papillary atrophy. No leukoplakia or other precancerous lesion was detected in this patient group. Salivary flow rate was less than 0.7 ml/minute in 56% of the patients. No patients had a salivary pH less than 5. Salivary buffering capacity of less than 5, however, was detected in 5 patients (33%). Radiological evaluation revealed that the most common congenital dental abnormalities were: (1) microdontia (44%); (2) congenitally missing teeth (26%); (3) transposition (9%); and (4) supernumerary teeth (4%).
Conclusion: These results demonstrate that poor oral hygiene, dental decay, gingivitis, and congenital dental abnormalities--including generalized microdontia, supernumerary teeth, transposition, and congenitally missing teeth--are common oral and dental findings in this group of Turkish children with Fanconi anemia.