The relationship between oral hygiene and upper extremity fractures in children

Aim: Bone fracture studies, which may be metabolically and socioculturally related to oral care in children, are essential in preventing fractures, emphasizing the importance of oral care and psychosocial awareness.In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between oral hygiene and the incidence of fractures in school-age children with upper extremity fractures and healthy school-age children.Material and Methods: This study included 102 patients.There were 20 (55.6%) male patients in the control group (n = 36) and 50 (75.8%)male patients in the fracture group (n = 66).DMFT index was used for assessing oral hygiene.Results: The mean years of maternal and paternal education were higher in the control group than in the fracture group.Both differences were statistically significant, i.e., p < 0.001 and p = 0.0038 for maternal and paternal education, respectively.The DMFT values for deciduous teeth were higher in the fracture group compared to the control group, and this difference between the groups was statistically significant (p = 0.02), while the DMFT values for permanent teeth were higher in the control group than in the fracture group.Discussion: In our study, the relationship between education level, socioeconomic status, and fractures was significant.The DMFT values showed that the risk of fracture increased in children with poor oral hygiene.However, the evaluation of permanent teeth also revealed no difference.