Child, hypertension and oral health.

ABSTRACT

Hypertension is a major public health issue in industrialized nations. Many efforts have focused on the primary prevention and control of hypertension in adults. Nevertheless, the increasing incidence of hypertension in younger age groups has drawn attention to the severity and complications of the disease in children and adolescents. Public health implications of hypertension in children are overwhelming because many of these individuals will eventually face medical squeal into adulthood. Reproducibility of blood pressure in children can be challenging, especially in younger individuals, and the practitioner should be alert for shallow reading ranges in young children. Safe provision of dental care to hypertensive children requires knowledge about the aetiology of the elevation in blood pressure, oral manifestations, target organ damage, and possible drug interactions. This article provides an overview of hypertensive children and their oral health management. The recommendations presented in this article have been formulated using the available data regarding hypertension in children.