Assessing The Prevalence of Dental Caries Among Chronic Obstructive Pulmonology Disease Patient

Dental caries is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide and is a complex condition. Objective: To assess the prevalence of dental caries in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonology disease patient. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional research study design was used to assess the prevalence of dental caries among COPD. The population was COPD patients. The population is targeted through purposive sampling technique. The tool which was used to assess the prevalence of dental caries among COPD patients was modi�ed, translated and adopted. Results: The study results shows that Participants with the age group 30-40 years were 63(36.8%), and with the age group 51-60 were 59(34.5%) majority were male 118(69.0%) and have a history of tooth extraction 100(58.5%), similarly majority have dental crown 125(73.1%) and have Periodontitis which were 103(60.2%). Conclusions: The study results showed that to focus on the oral care of the COPD patients because it led toward the further complications and help in the progression of the disease. We have to educate the patient regarding their oral care to prevent complications and dental caries.

Dental caries is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide and is a complex condition. Objective: To assess the prevalence of dental caries in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonology disease patient. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional research study design was used to assess the prevalence of dental caries among COPD. The population was COPD patients. The population is targeted through purposive sampling technique. The tool which was used to assess the prevalence of dental caries among COPD patients was modi ed, translated and adopted. Results: The study results shows that Participants with the age group 30-40 years were 63(36.8%), and with the age group 51-60 were 59(34.5%) majority were male 118(69.0%) and have a history of tooth extraction 100(58.5%), similarly majority have dental crown 125(73.1%) and have Periodontitis which were 103(60.2%). Conclusions: The study results showed that to focus on the oral care of the COPD patients because it led toward the further complications and help in the progression of the disease. We have to educate the patient regarding their oral care to prevent complications and dental caries. the aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of dental caries among COPD patients.

M E T H O D S
individuals with COPD. Shortness of breath, wheezing, and productive cough are some of the daily respiratory symptoms that characterize COPD, a chronic condition [9,10]. These symptoms severely reduce quality of life and are brought on by air ow restriction and airway in ammation. Although the factors that prevent COPD patients from receiving proper dental treatment are not fully understood, they may include persistent smoking, lack of dental insurance, or mobility issues brought on by the disease or the use of oxygen [11]. The effect of oral health on the regular respiratory symptoms that COPD patients encounter is uncertain, despite the fact that it is linked to the diagnosis of COPD and several COPD-related health outcomes. In order to test the theory that worse daily respiratory symptoms are correlated with poor dental health, we set out to examine the dental habits and health of a cohort of consecutive COPD patients [12]. A number of systemic illnesses, including COPD, have been linked to periodontal disease and poor dental health. There is a link between periodontal disease and COPD, according an evaluation of 14 observational studies' meta-analysis, however few research has looked at the link Relationship between oral health and COPD are-ups [13]. In this study, we looked at by contrasting the oral health condition of exacerbates and non-exacerbates, it may be determined if COPD exacerbations are linked to worse oral health [9]. Risk elements for both COPD & periodontal disease include smoking, ageing, and deprivation. Periodontal disease by itself does not cause COPD, according to Prasanna, but it can speed up the illness's progression or exacerbation whenever it is present in combination with other risk factors. This is crucial from the perspective of public health because it suggests that early dental treatment to halt the course of periodontal disease may also bene t lung function [14,15]. Anti-asthmatic medications have a relatively low pH and can constitute sugar substitutes and hydrolytic enzymes, such as lactose monohydrate, which has been suggested to make asthma patients more vulnerable to the progression of caries [16][17][18]. Additionally, according to, these drugs alter salivary ow rate, making asthmatics more vulnerable to dental caries. Additionally, people with asthma may drink more acidic beverages, and their tendency to mouth breathe may make them more susceptible to tooth decay [19,20]. Most asthmatic patients take inhaled medications incorrectly; that is, they administer substantial doses in the oral cavity rather than the upper air ways, which may have detrimental consequences on tooth decay [21]. The COPD is ranked as th 5 leading cause of death. There are many studies who have worked on the treatment of COPD, educational program on COPD and interventional studies but the complications due to COPD is still under study. Dental caries is one of them. So, The descriptive cross-sectional research study design was used. The study setting was the pulmonology outpatient department of the Jinnah Hospital Lahore. The study was taking approximately nine months. The study targeted population was the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients with dental caries. The study sample is calculated by using Slovin's formula that is 171. Purposive sampling techniques was used to gather information. The patients with COPD diagnosed will be included in the study. Patients with age group 30 to 60 will be included in the study. Patients with any comorbidity other than dental caries with COPD will be excluded in the study. Purposive sampling technique was used in this study. The study sample is calculated by using Slovin's formula. 2 n=N/1+Ne Where, n= sample size (171) N= population size (300) e= margin of error (0.05) n=171.42 SPSS 22.0 was used for data analysis. Mean ± SD was used for quantitative data and frequency percentages for qualitative variables. Descriptive analysis was conducted. Table 1 show that from total no of participants who respond in this study. Those with the age group 30-40 years were 63(36.8%), similarly those with the age group 41-50 years were 49(28.7%) and those with the age group 51-60 were 59(34.5%).Those who male were 118(69.0%), and similarly female were only 53(31.0%).Those who married were 134(78.4%), those who unmarried were 3(1.8%), those who divorce were 6(3.5%), similarly those who widow were 28(16.4%).Those who illiterate were 62(36.3%), those who have primary education were 27(15.8%), those who have middle pass were 19(11.1%), those who have passed matriculation were 26(15.2%), those who have passed intermediate were 20(11.7%), those who have bachelor were 10(5.8%), similarly those who have high grade quali cation were only 7(4.1%). Those who work in private sector were 28(16.4%), those who work in government sector were 24(14.0%),those who have their personal work to do were 81(47.4%),similarly those who work in house were 38(22.2%).Those who have monthly income 15000-25000 were 93(54.4%),those who have monthly income 26000-35000 were 37(21.6%),those who have monthly income 36000-45000 were 20(11.7%), similarly those who have monthly income 46000 or above were 21(12.3%).

D I S C U S S I O N
The descriptive cross sectional research study was assessing the prevalence of dental caries among COPD patients. The study result shows that the total respondents who respond to the study majority were male and majority were within the age group 30-40 and 51-60 and working in both (private and government) setting. The tool used for "prevalence of dental caries among COPD patients" was adopted from [22] Hobbins . Previous researches by et al., and et al., were checking the reliability and Murtomaa validity of tool. So, the tool is considered as reliable and validate. Several previous studies have been conducted to assess the relationship between COPD and clinical markers of periodontal disease and tooth loss [23,24]. Other authors agree with our nding and have shown that periodontal disease is a signi cant and independent risk factor of COPD [13]. Descriptive analysis shows that Participants with the age group 30-40 years were 63(36.8%), similarly those with the age group 41-50 years were 49(28.7%) and those with the age group 51-60 were 59(34.5%). Male were 118(69.0%), and similarly female were only 53(31.0%). Participants married were 134(78.4%), those who unmarried were 3(1.8%), those who divorce were 6(3.5%), similarly those who widow were 28(16.4%). From total no of participants who respond in this study illiterate were 62(36.3%), those who have primary education were 27(15.8%), those who have middle pass were 19(11.1%), those who have passed matriculation were 26(15.2%), those who have passed intermediate were 20(11.7%), those who have bachelor were 10(5.8%), similarly those who have high grade quali cation were only 7(4.1%). From total no of participants those who work in private sector were 28(16.4%),those who work in government sector were  Table 2 shows that from total participants who respond about the question "Mouthwash use", those who respond yes were 102(59.6%), those who respond no were 69(40.4%), about the question "Dentures", those who respond yes were 55(32.2%), those who respond no were 116(67.8%), about the question "History of tooth abscess", those who respond yes were 70(40.9%), those who respond no were 101(59.1%), about the question "History of tooth Extraction", those who respond yes were 100(58.5%), those who respond no were 71(41.5%),participants who respond about the question "History of Root Canal", those who respond yes were 45(26.3%), those who respond no were 126(73.7%), about the question "dental Crown", those who respond yes were 125(73..1%), those who respond no were 46(26.9%), about the question "Periodontitis", those who respond yes were 103(60.2%), those who respond no were 68(39.8%), about the question "Filling", those who respond yes were 30(17.5%), those who respond no were 141(82.5%).

C O N C L U S I O N S
The study results shows that Participants with the age group 30-40 years were 63(36.8%), and with the age group 51-60 were 59(34.5%). Majority were male 118(69.0%) and have a history of extraction 100(58.5%), similarly majority have dental crown 125(73.1%) and have Periodontitis which were 103(60.2%). Most of the participants don't done any oral care due to the fear that our breathing may be stopped and disease can lead toward progression. We need to be focus on the dental care of the COPD patients. We have to educate the patients regarding their oral health because they are already immune-compromise and more prone to get infection through mouth, whenever they eat something. So, that oral care is most important for the COPD patients.

C o n  i c t s o f I n t e r e s t
The authors declare no con ict of interest.

S o u r c e o f F u n d i n g
The authors received no nancial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.