BMC Oral Health. 2026 Jun 27. doi: 10.1186/s12903-026-09059-y. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Oral health findings in pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD) are heterogeneous, and CKD-related metabolic alterations may contribute to plaque mineralization and oral hygiene outcomes. Yet, the relationship between routinely measured serum biochemical parameters and standardized caries/oral hygiene indices in children with CKD is not well defined. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between serum biochemical parameters and oral health indices in pediatric CKD.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 34 children aged 6-14 years with diagnosed CKD. Demographic and available clinical data were recorded, and routinely measured serum biochemical parameters reflecting renal function, mineral metabolism, acid-base status, hematologic status, and nutritional/metabolic profile were obtained from routine laboratory records. Oral examination included caries assessment using Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (dmft/DMFT) index for primary/permanent dentition and International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) II indices, as well as oral hygiene evaluation using the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S), Debris Index (DI), and Calculus Index (CI). Developmental enamel defects were evaluated, and soft tissue lesions were examined. Pearson correlation analysis and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
RESULTS: Most serum biochemical parameters were not significantly associated with caries experience or oral hygiene indices (p > 0.05). Serum magnesium showed weak-to-moderate negative correlations with CI (r = – 0.383, p = 0.026) and OHI-S (r = – 0.362, p = 0.035), indicating lower calculus accumulation and lower OHI-S scores with higher magnesium levels. In contrast, ALP demonstrated a weak-to-moderate positive correlation with CI (r = 0.386, p = 0.024).
CONCLUSIONS: In this pediatric CKD cohort, routine serum biochemical parameters showed limited cross-sectional associations with caries experience and oral hygiene indices. However, the observed associations of serum magnesium and alkaline phosphatase with calculus accumulation suggest that mineral metabolism-related markers may be linked to plaque mineralization. These findings should be interpreted cautiously in view of the cross-sectional design, small sample size, and clinical heterogeneity of the study group.
PMID:42374410 | DOI:10.1186/s12903-026-09059-y
