Prevalence of dental caries and oral hygiene habits in patients with Crohn’s disease living in urban and rural regions of southern Poland

Patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) prefer carbohydrates and foods, which easy to digest, both risk factors of caries disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dental caries prevalence and oral hygiene habits in CD patients who live in urban and rural areas of the southern part of Poland in comparison to controls. Seventy one adult patients with CD and 61 age – and sex – matched volunteers were enrolled; 52% of patients were living in urban areas, 48% in rural regions. We studied: findings on clinical examination, calculation of BMI, blood hemoglobin and serum CRP levels, oral examination according to the WHO recommendations, with assessment of oral hygiene habits, dental history, visits to dentists. Presence of decayed (D), missing (M), filled teeth (F) were assessed, and the “Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth Index” (DMF-T) was calculated. Statistical methods included non-parametric tests and Spearman correlation coefficient estimation. Dental caries assessed by DMF-T index was higher in CD patients compared to controls. DMF-T was similar in patients from urban and rural areas (14.2±4.7 vs 15.4±2.1, respectively). M and F scores were comparable in both groups, but D score was higher in CD patients (p<0.01). No correlation was found between DMF-T index and place of living. Patients from rural areas less frequently used tooth brushing (68% vs 57%, p<0.05) and dental floss (11% vs 5%, p<0.05). Patients from urban areas visited dentists more frequently than those from rural regions. The prevalence of dental caries in the middle aged CD patients living in the southern region of Poland is higher in comparison to healthy controls. The prevalence of caries disease and oral hygiene habits in CD patients is comparable between patients living in urban areas and in rural regions.