[Dental and salivary alterations in patients with liver cirrhosis: a study of 100 cases]. / Alteraciones dentales y salivales en los pacientes con cirrhosis hepática: estudio de 100 casos.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to investigate the existence of differences in dental status and in quantitative and qualitative salivary values between 100 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and a group of controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed the number of carious, missing and filled teeth. Also the unstimulated (UWS) and stimulated whole saliva flow rates (SWS) were determined, along with the stimulated parotid saliva flow rate (PSS) and the concentration in both UWS and SWS of sodium, potassium, total proteins and immunoglobulin A (IgA). RESULTS: A significantly higher number of carious and missing teeth was observed in the patients with cirrhosis (2.4 and 14.6, respectively) than in the control group (1.3 and 10.6, respectively), and a higher stimulated parotid flow rate with LC (0.64 and 0.44, respectively; p < 0.02) with a decrease in sodium and an increase in potassium, total proteins and IgA in patients with cirrhosis. In the LC group, caries were found to affect more teeth in those patients with alcohol-induced LC than in those with liver disease of other causes (3.9 and 1.7, respectively; p < 0.05), but in contrast, no differences were found in the saliva flow rate and the concentration in both UWS and SWS of sodium, potassium, total proteins and IgA. Finally, no relationship was observed between the dental status and functional hepatic tests. CONCLUSIONS: CH patients showed a worse dental status, a higher SPS rate and some electrolytes and proteins alterations.

Dental findings in patients with liver cirrhosis. A study of 100 cases.

A study was made of the dental findings in 100 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) by examining the number of carious, missing and filled teeth. A significantly greater number of carious and missing teeth were observed in the patients with cirrhosis than in a control group of 50 healthy individuals. In the LC group, caries were found to affect more teeth in those patients with alcohol-induced LC than in those with liver disease of other causes. Finally, no relationship was observed between the number of carious, missing or filled teeth and certain determinations including serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamate oxalacetate transaminase (SGOT), alkaline phosphate, platelet number, hepatitis B and C positivity markers, or antinuclear (ANA), antimitochondrial (AMA) or anti-smooth muscle autoantibodies (ASm).