Özet:

Aim: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood, recording an ever-increasing frequency. The aim of this study is to examine the oral health of asthmatic children and to assess their association with sociodemographic characteristics. Materials and method: A group of 99 children (48 females, 51 males) with asthma was evaluated and compared with 99 heathy children as control group, case-matched for gender and age. Clinical examinations were carried out to record DMFT index, gingival index and plaque index. The parents of children were interviewed for information about child’s oral hygiene habits and sociodemographic attributes. Results: The results showed a significantly higher values of DMFT index, gingival index and plaque index among asthmatic patients as compared to the matched control group (p<0.05). When sociodemographic characteristics are assessed, the place of residence and mother work status of children were similar in both groups. But 33.3% of the control group and 62.6% of the asthmatic group had low income. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that children with asthma had more oral health problems, and mother education levels and family income levels were different in these children. Therefore, considering that asthma and dental decay are chronic diseases with various etiologic factors, these diseases should be evaluated in a multidimensional manner and protective measures should be taken. 

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