Oral health in patients on haemodialysis for diabetic nephropathy and chronic glomerulonephritis

Abstract

The objective of this study was to clarify differences in oral health status between patients who needed haemodialysis (HD) owing to diabetic nephropathy (DN) and chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN). Ninety-eight HD patients who were 50-70 years old were selected as the study subjects [DN group (29 subjects) and CGN group (69 subjects)] to compare with 106 control subjects (control group) not undergoing HD. All HD subjects underwent oral- and systemic-related examination just before HD therapy. The mean number of teeth present in the DN group was significantly less than in the CGN and control groups. The mean percentage of sites with bleeding on probing in the DN group was greater than in the CGN and control groups. The mean salivary flow rate in the DN and CGN groups was significantly lower compared with the control group. The patients undergoing HD for DN were found to have fewer teeth and worse periodontal health compared with those undergoing HD for CGN and with the control subjects not undergoing HD. Furthermore, the dental and periodontal health of the patients undergoing HD for CGN was comparable to that of the controls. For effective measures of prevention and improvement of oral health in HD patients, clinicians should be aware of the differences in the characteristics of the oral health between patients undergoing HD for DN and CGN.