The aim of this study was to assess the association of dental caries and dental anomalies among 5- to 15-year-old children with cleft lip and cleft palate.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 500 children with cleft lip and/or cleft palate and 500 children without cleft of the age group 5 to 15 years. The clinical examination was carried out using decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) by Klein Plamer and Knutson, and dmft by Grubbel and 1997 World Health Organization (WHO) pro forma.

The results showed a statistically significant increase in the prevalence of dental caries in children with cleft lip and/or cleft palate. The mean DMFT was found to be significantly higher in operated children than in the children who were not operated. Other dental abnormalities included an increased frequency of enamel hypoplasia (p < 0.001), hyperdontia (p < 0.014), anterior, unilateral and bilateral cross-bite (p < 0.001), and open bite (p < 0.001).

The results of this study show that children with cleft have higher prevalence of dental anomalies than the normal children. With increased occurrence of hypoplasia in children with cleft, reduced access for cleaning upper anterior teeth after surgical repair leads to poor oral hygiene status, leading to increased risk to dental caries.

Given the high caries experience among the children with cleft lip and cleft palate, it is necessary to advocate a more rigorous approach to the prevention of dental disease in these high-risk children. They should therefore, be subjected to regular checkups, oral hygiene advice, diet advice, appropriate fluoride supplementation, and, when required, appropriate referral for secondary care.

Kamble S, Hiremath SS, Puranik MP, Gaikwad R, Biradar A, Gadbail AR, Sarode SC, Sarode GS, Patil S. Dental Caries and Dental Anomalies in Children with Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate in Bengaluru City, India. World J Dent 2017;8(4):304-308.