Dental health status in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemic (ALL) children were selected to evaluate the dental health status from Regional Cancer Centre, Kerala. A 12 item questionnaire was distributed to all selected 104 children's parents who were present in the hospital and the children's oral cavity was examined. The results revealed moderate gingival inflammation in most of the samples irrespective of treatment. Tenderness on temporo mandibular joint, oral mucositis, high DMFT values were observed in children who were under treatment. History of halitosis before diagnosis of ALL was a predominant feature in a statistically significant number of children.