Dental Health in Pediatric Patients With Different Types of Mucopolysaccharidosis: Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background: Patients with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) appear to have an increased risk of developing dental disease.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the status of dental caries and dental anomalies among Chinese patients with different types of MPS.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed a consecutive cohort of 102 pediatric patients with MPS who visited the Department of Stomatology at the Capital Center for Children's Health between August 2010 and August 2025. Eligible patients were defined as those with a confirmed diagnosis of MPS who were aged ≤14 years at the time of their dental visit and had complete dental examination records available. Dental caries and anomalies were assessed through clinical records and radiographic data.

Results: Dental caries were observed in 55.9% (57/102) of patients, and no statistically significant difference was observed across the MPS subtypes (P=.72). Deep dentinal caries (d4-6mft) were observed in 40.2% (41/102) of the participants and contributed most to the total decayed, missing, and filled teeth index score. The overall prevalence of dental anomalies was 32.4% (33/102), with a statistically significant difference among MPS subtypes (P=.005). Patients with MPS type IV had a significantly higher risk of dental anomalies compared to those with MPS type II (odds ratio 6.32, 95% CI 1.55-28.28; P=.01), after adjusting for age and gender.

Conclusions: The prevalence of dental anomalies differed significantly across MPS subtypes, while that of dental caries did not. These findings emphasize the need for early, targeted preventive care and tailored dental interventions to improve oral health outcomes in this population.