ORAL HEALTH STATUS OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH RECURRENT UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS

Background: The adverse social, educational, and economic consequences of recurrent respiratory tract infections have led to increased attention from healthcare professionals to this problem. The aim of this study was to assess the level of oral health and the factors of local nonspecific defense in children with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections. Materials and Methods: The oral health status of 52 preschool children with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections (RRIs) and 35 healthy peers was evaluated. Caries indices (dmf, dmfs, DMF, DMFS), oral hygiene indices (Stallard, Silness–Löe), periodontal indices (PMA%, bleeding index, Schiller–Pisarev test), the confidence interval of oral fluid pH fluctuations, and its biochemical parameters (catalase activity, malondialdehyde, lysozyme, urease, and elastase) were determined. Results: In children with RRIs, a decrease in the level of oral health to 66.7% was observed, attributable to the high prevalence of dental caries and gingivitis. A weakening of the nonspecific defense factors of oral fluid was also identified, characterized by an unstable pH state, decreased catalase activity (p < 0.001) and lysozyme activity (p < 0.001), and increased concentrations of malondialdehyde (p < 0.001), urease (p < 0.001), and elastase. Conclusion: High caries prevalence, unfavorable oral hygiene and periodontal indices, and weakened local nonspecific defense mechanisms in children with RRIs necessitate the development of targeted therapeutic and preventive measures.