Chronic Liver Diseases in Children and Oral Manifestations

Simin Partovi MD*, A.Makarem DDS**,Mar jan Sharifi DDS***

*Prof of Pediatric Gastroenterology, ** Prof of Ped Dentistry,*** General DDS,

Mashad University of Medical & Dental Sciences,Iran.

INTRODUCTION:Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases are detected sometimes with oral manifestations. Some of these complications are life threatening.

MATERIALS &METHODS:In this prospectivecase-control study 31 patients (8 females ,23 males) with chronic liver diseases were studied during one year.

RESULTS :The mean age was 9.5 years. Four cases were younger than five years old, 12 cases between 5-10 years and 15 cases older than 10 years.

The causes of chronic liver diseases were: Idiopathic cirrhosis (15 cases), Wilson’s Disease (4), chronic active hepatitis (3), chronic persistant hepatitis (2), congenital fibrosis (2), congenital lipodystrophy (1), cirrhosis following neonatal hepatitis (1), polycystic disease (10), hepatitis C cirrhosis (1), portal hypertension following thrombosis (1).Oral manifestations of chronic liver diseases were studied.

CONCLUSION :The most common oral manifestationswere: gingival hemorrhage (87%),glossitis (48.3%),cheilitis (32.2%), jaundice (32.2%), lip pigmentation (16.1%) and dry mouth (3.2%).

Keywords: Cirrhosis, Wilson’s disease, Chronic active hepatitis , Oral manifestations