Oral Health Status in Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Comparative Cross-sectional Study
| Author | Pardis Gheisary | en |
| Author | Amir Hossein Doustimotlagh | en |
| Author | Elahe Piraee | en |
| Author | Zahra Hashemi | en |
| Author | Zahra Rahami | en |
| Orcid | Amir Hossein Doustimotlagh [0000-0002-9166-419X] | en |
| Issued Date | 2026-12-31 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver conditions, characterized by the accumulation of fat in liver cells. Recent studies have indicated that there is a link between systemic diseases and oral/dental health. Objectives: This study aims to analyze the relationship between NAFLD and the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index to determine the correlation between the levels of liver enzymes and oral/dental health status. Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted after the necessary permits and ethics code were obtained from Yasuj University of Medical Sciences. The convenience sampling method was employed to select research samples from patients who visited Shahid Mofateh Clinic in Yasuj (Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Iran) in 2024. Therefore, 43 patients with NAFLD diagnosed by sonography (NAFLD group) were included, along with a control group containing homogeneous members in terms of age and gender. Furthermore, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) tests were conducted on patients, and dental examinations were performed using oral catheters and disposable dental mirrors under natural light to evaluate the parameters involved in the DMFT Index. The normality of data distribution was assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and nonparametric tests were applied where appropriate. Results: The mean DMFT Index of patients with NAFLD (17.2 ± 3.6) was significantly higher than that of the control group (8.3 ± 1.8) (P < 0.05). The number of decayed teeth in the NAFLD group (7.9 ± 2.8) was nearly four times as many as the number of decayed teeth in the control group (2.1 ± 1.2). Likewise, the number of missing teeth in the NAFLD group (6.1 ± 2.6) was significantly higher than the number of missing teeth in the control group (1.4 ± 0.9, P < 0.05). Similarly, the levels of ALT (56.4 ± 7.2) and AST (42.6 ± 4.8) were significantly higher in the NAFLD group than in the control group (P < 0.05). There were positive, significant correlations between these enzymes and the DMFT Index (r = 0.542 for ALT and r = 0.498 for AST). Oral hygiene habits were significantly weaker in the NAFLD group than in the control group. In other words, 18.6% of the NAFLD patients never brushed their teeth, and 58.1% never used dental floss. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that there was a significant relationship between NAFLD and poor oral/dental health status. Patients with NAFLD exhibited higher DMFT indices, weaker oral hygiene habits, and higher hookah consumption rates. The positive correlation between liver enzymes and oral health indices highlighted a profound biological link between these parameters. The findings emphasize the necessity of developing an integrated approach to caring for patients and establishing close cooperation between dentists and internal medicine specialists. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5812/hepatmon-167310 | en |
| URI | https://brieflands.com/journals/hepatmon/articles/167310 | en |
| Keyword | Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver | en |
| Keyword | DMFT | en |
| Keyword | Oral/Dental Health | en |
| Keyword | Liver Enzymes | en |
| Keyword | Oral Hygiene | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | Oral Health Status in Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Comparative Cross-sectional Study | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |
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