IADR Abstract Archives
Analysis of the oral health of patients undergoing radiotherapy
Method: 30 subjects, 24 males and 6 females, responded to an anamnesis and then the following periodontal examinations were performed: probing depth (PD), attachment level (AL) and plaque index (PI) in six different sites for each tooth.
Result: The mean age of subjects was 60.1 years and the ages ranged between 52-76 years. Of the evaluated subjects, 22 were smokers and 8 nonsmokers. 16 patients were edentulous. The AL mean was 2.5 mm, the PD mean was 2.04 mm and PI was 73.5%.
Conclusion: The increase life expectancy of brazilians, coupled with advances in methods of treatment of head and neck câncer, and the high prevalence and severity of periodontal changes in this population demonstrate the need to establish policies for monitoring the periodontal health of patients through proper control over bacterial biofilms by patients and dentists.