Oral health of children with epilepsy in Hong Kong

Abstract

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease characterised by a persistent tendency of having epilepsy seizures, which often commences in childhood or adolescence. The World Health Organisation estimated the prevalence of the general population with active epilepsy to be 4-10 per 1000 people. It can occur as a stand-alone condition, but co-morbidities are common. People with epilepsy are known to be at an increased risk of developing learning disabilities and psychiatric disorders. Epilepsy does not only affect individuals at the time of seizure attacks, but also impacts their general health, as well as social and emotional well-being.

The systematic review summarized the available evidence on the oral health of persons with epilepsy. From the initial search results of 3057 article references, eighteen effective papers was included in the final qualitative analysis, ten of which were quantitatively synthesized in meta-analyses. The evidence showed that people with epilepsy exhibited poorer oral hygiene status and periodontal health than healthy people. They were also at a greater risk of traumatic dental injuries than those without epilepsy. As for dental caries, the evidence was inconclusive. No significant difference in oral health condition was reported between people who were and were not taking any antiepileptic drugs.

Few comprehensive oral health studies were performed on exclusively on children with epilepsy. The objectives of the present comparative study was to investigate on the oral health status of children with epilepsy in Hong Kong. Thirty-five children with epilepsy aged between 3 to 18 years old and thirty-five age- and gender-matched healthy children were recruited for this study. The results showed that children with epilepsy had a poorer oral health status in terms of gingival health than those without epilepsy. However, no significant differences in dental caries experience, oral hygiene status, dental trauma experience, oral health habits and dental care service utilisation were observed between children with and without epilepsy.