@Article{, title={Enamel defects in relation to nutritional status among a group of children with congenital heart disease (Ventricular septal defect)}, author={Wael S. Al-Alousi and Nidaa O. AL-Etbi}, journal={Journal of baghdad college of dentistry مجلة كلية طب الاسنان بغداد}, volume={23}, number={3}, pages={124-129}, year={2011}, abstract={ABSTRACT
Background: Congenital heart disease is a structural anomaly of the heart or great vessels, that is or could be of
functional significance. Children with congenital heart disease are at a high risk to develop oral diseases. The aim of
this study was to investigate the percentage of occurrence and severity of the enamel defects in relation to the
nutritional status among a group of children with ventricular septal defect compared to control group matching with
age and gender.
Materials and methods: A sample of 60 pediatric patients with ventricular septal defect (study group) and 30 normal
healthy children (control group), their ages range between (5-8) years old were examined. The study group was
divided into two subgroups according to the medication (with medication ventricular septal defect and without
medication ventricular septal defect groups). Clinical examinations were conducted under standardized conditions.
Enamel defects were diagnosed and recorded following the criteria of World Health Organization (1). The assessment
of nutritional status was performed by using anthropometric measurement (body mass index) following the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention growth chart (2).
Results: Results revealed that a higher percentage of children with enamel defects were recorded among with
medication ventricular septal defect group 80%, without medication ventricular septal defect group 63.3%
compared to13.3% in the control group. For the primary teeth, hypoplasia was the most distributed type of enamel
defects among ventricular septal defect groups. While among the control group, demarcated opacities were the
most prevalent type for both dentition. The enamel hypoplasia for primary and permanent teeth showed higher
mean value among malnourished children compared to well nourished among both ventricular septal defect
groups with statistically no significant difference.
Conclusions: Children with ventricular septal defect had a high enamel defects compared to the control children.
Key words: Septal defect, nutrition, hypoplasia. (J Bagh Coll Dentistry 2011;23(3): 124-129).

} }