Oral health status in children with selected gastrointestinal diseases residing in Krasnodar Krai

Relevance. The high prevalence of oral diseases in children remains a significant challenge for pediatric dentistry and public health. Particular attention should be paid to the relationship between oral health status and gastrointestinal disorders in children, since coexisting systemic disease may contribute to the development of dental caries, non-carious lesions, and oral mucosal abnormalities.

Objective. To assess the oral health status of children with selected gastrointestinal diseases.

Materials and methods. A total of 120 children aged 7 to 17 years were examined at the clinical sites of the Children’s City Clinical Hospital, Krasnodar, Ministry of Health of the Krasnodar Krai, and at the clinic of Kuban State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Gastrointestinal diseases were diagnosed in 62 patients. The control group included 58 age-matched healthy children without gastrointestinal disease. The study assessed the prevalence and severity of dental caries, the presence of non-carious lesions of the dental hard tissues, the condition of the oral mucosa, and salivary pH.

Results. Children with gastrointestinal disorders showed greater caries experience and more pronounced inflammatory changes in the oral mucosa. Salivary pH in the study group was lower by an average of 0.5-0.8 units, and this reduction was associated with an increased risk of dental caries, particularly in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Conclusion. Children with gastrointestinal diseases show marked adverse changes in oral health status, which supports the need for a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. The findings may be used to develop follow-up care programs and preventive strategies for children at increased risk.

1. Kuzmina E.M., Yanushevich O.O., Kuzmina I.N., Lapatina A.V. Tendency in the prevalence of dental caries among the Russian population over a 20-year period. Dental Forum. 2020;3(78):2-8 (In Russ.). Available from: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=43825063

2. Kuzmiankova А., Asirian E. Analysis of the Prevalence of Diseases of the Oral Mucosa in Children. Dentistry, Aesthetics, Innovations. 2021;5(2):65-172 (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.34883/PI.2021.5.2.006

3. Borisova E.G., Polevaya L.P., Zheleznyak V.A., Polevaya A.V. Interrelation of the physical state of patients with the level of caries-resistance. Zdorov'e i obrazovanie v XXI veke. 2018;20(7):66–70 (In Russ.). Available from: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=35396288

4. Yanushevich O.O., Dukhovskaya N.E., Vavilova T.P., Ostrovskaya I.G., Evarnitskaya N.R. Saliva indices in patients with somatic pathology. Dental Forum. 2019;(1):2-5 (In Russ.). Available from: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=37307576

5. Kuchma V.R., Rapoport I.K., Sukhareva L.M., et al. The health of children and adolescents in school ontogenesis as a basis for improving the system of school health care and sanitary-epidemiological wellbeing of students. Health Care of the Russian Federation. 2021;65(4):325-333 (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.47470/0044-197X-2021-65-4-325-333

6. Uspensky Y.P., Gorbacheva I.A., Fominykh Yu.A., Baryshnikova N.V. Gastroesophageal reflux disease and dental caries: at the junction of combined pathology. Medicine: theory and practice. 2018;3(1):98-99 (In Russ.). Available from: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=35173981

7. Asanova A.S., Bachevskaya A.M., Adabasheva E.D., Mustafaeva M.M., Shendrik A.I., Saab F.G., et al. Dental syndrome in gerd. from dentist to gastroenterologist. International Research Journal. 2025;(6):68 (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.60797/IRJ.2025.156.58

8. Arahova Z.A., Trukhmanov M.S. Oral status in gastrointestinal diseases in children. University Therapeutic Journal. 2020;2(3):64-75 (In Russ.). Available from: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=44281378

9. Shishniashvili T, Suladze T, Makhviladze M, Pkhaladze M. Microecological changes in the intestine and its effect on the condition of hard tissues of teeth in adolescence. Georgian Med News. 2018;(1):38-41. (In Russ.). Available from: https://www.geomednews.com/s/480918712df344a4a77508d4cd7815ab/files/uploaded/V274_N1_January_2018.pdf

10. Leonov G.E., Starodubova A.V. The Role of oral microbiota in the development of gastrointestinal diseases. Effective pharmacotherapy. 2025;21(22):68–76 (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.33978/2307-3586-2025-21-22-68-76

11. Romanenko E.G. Periodontal status in children with various morphological forms of chronic gastritis and duodenitis. Stomatology. 2014;93(1):4042 (In Russ.). https://www.mediasphera.ru/issues/stomatologiya/2014/1/030039-17352014111

12. Dane A, Gurbuz T. Clinical Comparative Study of the Effects of Helicobacter Pylori Colonization on Oral Health in Children. Pak J Med Sci. 2016;32(4):969-973. https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.324.10034

13. Chernenkov Yu.V., Glushakov I.A., Gadzhikerimov G.E., Glushakova V.D., Gumenyuk O.I., Trifonov V.D. The relationship of risk factors in the development of gastrointestinal tract pathology in schoolchildren. Saratov Journal of Medical Scientific Research. 2022;18(3):502–506 (In Russ.). Available from: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=50077787

14. Galaktionova M.Yu., Lisikhina N.V., Galaktionova M.A., Alekseenko E.A. Leading risk factors for the formation of gastroenterological pathology in preschool children. Russian Pediatric Journal. 2021;24(4):250 (In Russ.). Available from: https://www.rosped.ru/jour/article/view/939

15. Kolomiets S.V., Udaltsova K.A., Shinkevich V.I. Manifestation of Crohn's disease in the oral cavity: clinical case. Stomatologiia (Mosk). 2017;96(5):28-30 (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17116/stomat201796528-30

16. Khavkin A.I., Gurova M.M., Novikova V.P. The use of comorbidity index to assess the effect of combined pathology on the chronic gastroduodenitis course in adolescents. Pediatria. 2018;97(6):19-25 (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.24110/0031-403X-2018-97-6-19-25

17. Turdieva Sh.T., Ganieva D.K., Abdurashidova Kh.B. Chronic gastroduodenal pathology in schoolchildren: the clinical picture and features of the course. Еxperimental and clinical gastroenterology. 2021;1(1):111-117 (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.31146/1682-8658-ecg-185-1-111-117

18. Wilder-Smith CH, Materna A, Martig L, Lussi A. Longitudinal study of gastroesophageal reflux and erosive tooth wear. BMC Gastroenterol. 2017;17(1):113. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12876-017-0670-1

19. Georgios A, Vassiliki T, Sotirios K. Acidogenicity and acidurance of dental plaque and saliva sediment from adults in relation to caries activity and chlorhexidine exposure. J. Oral Microbiol. 2015;7:26197. https://doi.org/10.3402/jom.v7.26197

20. Lazareva L.A., Gordeeva E.V. Аnalysis of digestive apparatus disease incidence among children and adolescents. International Research Journal. 2017;(1):133 (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.23670/IRJ.2017.55.104

21. Samami M, Jafari E, Hassanipour S, Naghipour M, Joukar F, Mansour-Ghanaei F. Association between gastroesophageal reflux disease and DMFT index in the PERSIAN Guilan Cohort Study. Sci Rep. 2025;15(1):28888. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13744-3

22. Davydov B.N., Gavrilova O.A., Ratnikov K.E. Complex dental care in children and adolescents with chronic gastroduodenitis. Stomatology. 2013;92(2):6567 (In Russ.). https://www.mediasphera.ru/issues/stomatologiya/2013/2/030039-17352013218

23. Sardellitti L, Filigheddu E, Milia E. Management of Dental Demineralization in a Patient with Complex Medical Conditions: A Case Report and Clinical Outcomes. Reports (MDPI). 2025;8(2):39. https://doi.org/10.3390/reports8020039

24. Farahmand F, Sabbaghian M, Ghodousi S, Seddighoraee N, Abbasi M. Gastroesophageal reflux disease and tooth erosion: a cross-sectional observational study. Gut Liver. 2013;7(3):278-281. https://doi.org/10.5009/gnl.2013.7.3.278

25. Sujatha S, Jalihal U, Devi Y, Rakesh N, Chauhan P, Sharma S. Oral pH in gastroesophageal reflux disease. Indian J Gastroenterol. 2016;35(3):186-189. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12664-016-0659-7