Evaluating periodontal conditions in patients with von Willebrand's disease in Hospital Universitario de Maracaibo (University Hospital, Maracaibo)-Venezuela.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the periodontal conditions of patients with von Willebrand's Disease (vWD who went for dental examination in the "Area of attention to patients with systemic disease" of the University Hospital in Maracaibo, Venezuela. DESIGN OF THE STUDY 40 patients (28 female and 12 male), with ages ranging from 10 to 72 years, who regularly attended dental control, were evaluated along with a control group of patients with no hemorrhagic alterations. Periodontal conditions were evaluated using the Löe and Silness Gingival Index (GI) and Greene and Vermillon's Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (SOHI). The results were analyzed using averages, Standard Deviation, Student's T-test and the Chi(2) test, with P<0.0005. RESULTS 92.5% of the patients had Type 1 vWD and 7.5% had Type 2 or 3. Periodontal Indices: GI (0.70+/-0.40, slight) and SOHI (1,70+/-0,80, acceptable). Comparison with the control group showed that there were statistically significant differences in the SOHI (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Periodontal conditions in patients with vWD regularly attending for dental control were within acceptable parameters. Education of the patient with regard to prevention and opportune treatment is of utmost importance, thereby avoiding the oral hemorrhagic complications produced by the periodontal disease. Of equal importance is multidisciplinary teamwork.