G-3906

2025-10-19 19:31

Written by ARCIMS 26 ARCIMS 26 in Sunday 2025-10-19 19:31

The Oral Window to Liver Cirrhosis: Insights from a Case-Control Study

 Amirreza Jabbaripour Sarmadian 1 © ℗, Leila Alizadeh 1   

 Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

Email: amirrjps@gmail.com
 

 


 
Abstract

Introduction: Liver cirrhosis represents the advanced stage of chronic liver inflammation, leading to significant impairment of liver function. Research indicates that individuals suffering from cirrhosis often pay less attention to their oral hygiene, resulting in a higher prevalence of various oral manifestations. Given the critical role of oral health in patients with liver cirrhosis and the scarcity of comprehensive studies in this area, our case-control study aimed to investigate and compare the oral signs observed in cirrhotic patients with those in healthy individuals. Methods and Materials: This case-control study was conducted on cirrhotic patients who presented to the gastroenterology clinic at Imam Reza Hospital in *** and were referred to the specialized dental clinic at *** Faculty of Dentistry for oral care. For each patient included, a healthy individual matched by age and gender was selected as a control. Demographic information (age, gender, and smoking status), medical history, liver failure severity based on the MELD score, and findings from the oral examination were recorded. Results: A total of 60 individuals were enrolled in this study, comprising 30 patients with liver cirrhosis and 30 healthy controls. Of these participants, 63.3% were male and 36.7% were female. Half of the cirrhotic patients fell within the 45 to 54-year-old age group. The severity of liver disease was classified as moderate in 73.3% of the patients and severe in 26.7%. Compared to the control group, cirrhotic patients showed significantly more oral manifestations (p-value 0.001), with 56.7% exhibiting oral signs such as petechiae in 50% and herpes labialis in 6.7%. No oral manifestations were detected among the healthy individuals. Furthermore, the prevalence of oral manifestations varied significantly according to the severity of liver disease. Petechiae were observed in all patients with severe disease and in 31.8% of those with moderate disease, while herpes labialis was present in 6.7% of patients, all of whom had moderate disease severity (p-value = 0.004). Conclusion and Discussion: Patients with liver cirrhosis are at a significantly higher risk of developing oral manifestations, with petechiae being the most frequent finding, especially in those with moderate to severe liver disease. Dentists should pay close attention to these oral manifestations during examinations, as careful evaluation is crucial not only for managing existing problems but also for early detection of this condition. Likewise, cirrhotic patients should be encouraged to attend regular dental check-ups and maintain good oral hygiene to help prevent and identify oral health issues at an early stage.


Keywords: Liver cirrhosis, Chronic Liver Failure, Dental Care, Oral Health

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