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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Dental considerations for the patient with renal disease

subject

description

Chronic renal disease (CRD) is the renal disease that manifests oral consequences most frequently, and it is defined as a progressive and irreversible decline in renal function associated with a reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The most frequent causes of CRD are diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and glomerulonephritis. CRD is classified in 5 stages – from kidney damage with normal or increased GFR to renal failure. In order to quantify the CRD, renal function is measured using the GFR, which is estimated using creatinine clearance (CC). This CC is used for dose adjustment of drugs. In dental practice, the function of the kidneys can be measured indirectly through plasmatic creatinine (Cr), that can be related to the CC using several formulas. The treatment of CRD includes dietary changes, correction of systemic complications, and dialysis or the receipt of a renal graft in severe cases. The importance of CRD for the dental practitioner lies in the fact that an increasing number of patients with this disease will probably demand dental treatment, and that up to 90% of them will show oral signs and symptoms related to this systemic disease. Dental management must be adapted to these patients’ special conditions, as a greater bleeding tendency, hypertension, anemia, drug intolerance, increased susceptibility to infections and the presence of several oral manifestations associated with either the disease or its treatment.