Objective:

To describe the oral and dental characteristics of HIV+/AIDS long term survivors children.

Material and methods:

56 children HIV+/AIDS (Immunodeficiency Clinic, Medicine Faculty, UNAM) were orally examined. According to their age, they were divided in: Slow progressors (3-8 years). This group was subdivided in pre-teen-agers (of 8-12 years) and teenagers (13 years). The DMFT/dmft and the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index were established, following the criteria proposed by the WHO. The prevalence of oral lesions associated to HIV (OL-HIV) was also established (diagnosis criteria: EC Clearinghouse CDC-WHO), the chi square test was made, (95% of confidence) (p < 0.05).

Results:

Slow progressors (31 patients): OL-HIV = 22.5%, DFT/dft 5.15 ± 5.9, OHI 1.2 ± 0.4; Long term survivors (25 patients); OL-HIV 28%, DFT/dft 5.46 ± 5.3, OHI 1.1 ± 1.9. Pre-teenagers (15 patients): OL-HIV 40%, DFT/dft 5 ± 5, OHI 1.5 ± 0.5; Teenagers (10 Patients) OL-HIV 20%, DFT/dft 6.2 ± 4.8, OHI 1.9 ± 1.0. Eritem-atous oral candidiasis was the most prevalent finding in all the study groups.

Conclusions:

HIV+/AIDS long term survivors children show a high prevalence of oral lesions and dental-gingival characteristics that justified and increased in the surveillance of their oral health.