Prevention of Dental Caries in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Abstract

Tuberculosis remains a significant public health concern worldwide, with approximately 8 million new cases being reported every year. In the past decade, there has been a worsening of the epidemiological situation surrounding tuberculosis, characterized by increased incidence and more severe disease progression. One of the factors contributing to this situation in our country is the change in the method of detection. With a reduction in preventive fluorographic screenings of the population, over 50% of tuberculosis cases are now diagnosed based on patient self-referral to general healthcare institutions. This often leads to delayed diagnosis of the disease. Late detection is associated with an increased burden of tuberculosis and comorbidities, including dental pathology, which further impairs the quality of mechanical food processing. Previous studies have shown that dental diseases among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis are widespread and tend to worsen, leading to tooth loss and complicating the course of the tuberculosis process