Association between oral clefts and periodontal clinical measures: A meta‐analysis

Purpose To conduct a systematic review to evaluate the clinical parameters for periodontal diseases in individuals with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P). Methods The authors searched six indexed databases without language restriction through July 2021. The eligibility criteria were observational studies that compared the periodontal clinical measures of individuals with CL/P to those without CL/P. Meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects models with inverse variance weighting. Results The literature search generated 1277 records, and 40 full-text articles were reviewed. Twenty-three studies comprising 3,235 individuals from 4 continents fulfilled our selection criteria. The meta-analysis revealed significant difference in mean plaque index scores (MD = 0.31, 95%CI = 0.22, 0.41), gingival index scores (MD = 0.50, 95%CI = 0.24, 0.77) and periodontal pocket depth (MD = 0.64, 95%CI = 0.12, 1.16) between individuals with and without CL/P. A slight increase in clinical attachment loss was detected among individuals with CL/P; however, such an increase may have little clinical significance. Conclusions As age is positively related to periodontal disease progression, and individuals with CL/P are more likely to present with more plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation, clinicians should reinforce preventive dental care from an early age.