Dental Status and Oral Health in Epilepsy Patients

Objectives: of this study was to test statistically whether the patients with epilepsy did indeed have a poorer oral health as compared with the age and sex matched control group of general population and to cast light on the possible reasons leading up to it. Methods:Since epilepsy is a heterogenous group of patients, we have set up a classification system with four subgroups taking into account the type of seizures with special emphasis on the involvement of the masticatory apparatus, seizure frequency and patient compliance (mental state).We compared the subgroups of epilepsy patients with each other and control subjects.After history and parodontal examination, the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMF-Tscore) and Prosthetic index (ratio of arteficial and missing teeth) were determined and prosthetic appliances were investigated by recording their number and type. Statistical analysis was performed by SAS 8.2 for windows software. Results: showed, that DMF-T (p<0,001) was higher in the patient group.The DMF-T(p=0,04) is higher in Group III. than in GroupI..The Prosthetic index (p<0,001) was lower in patient group. There were 61 fixed prosthetic appliances in the patient group(in 29 patients) and 92 in the control group (in 37 persons).6 epilepsy patients wore removable partial dentures on 9 dental arches, whereas in the control group 7 persons wore on 13 dental arches . 8 patients wore complete dentures on 12 dental arches , in the control group 3 persons wore complete dentures on 5 dental arches. Conclusions:The increased DMF-T index and lower Prosthetic index of epilepsy are the conseqences of the combined effect of neglected oral hygiene and dental care oral cavity injuries and increased exertion on the teeth. Dentists tend to opt for quick and simple treatments for inadequate knowledge about the disease.Worse socio-economic background might cause inadequate prosthetic treatment as well.