Características bucais peculiares no Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect multiple organs and tissues. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the buccal health condition of patients with SLE, correlating the medical criteria with the dental findings. Patients were grouped according to age and the presence of SLE. All participants were evaluated according: socio-demographic characteristics, features related to the time of diagnosis and treatment of SLE, activity and disease damage were assessed using the SLEDAI and SLICC scores, profile of habits associated with oral health care, complaints related to xerostomia and orofacial pain, criteria about dysfunction and mandibular mobility and periodontal evaluation. The data obtained in the present study show that patients diagnosed with SLE, even with SLEDAI disease inactivity, had worse xerostomia scores associated with reduced salivary flow. SLE patients presented higher values of orofacial pain and periodontal discomfort compared to the control group. These signs and symptoms are associated with a higher prevalence of oral infectious focus that can aggravate autoimmune diseases. Therefore, the implementation of a systematic orofacial evaluation is imperative, since patients with SLE can develop oral complications, due to the autoimmune condition or due its treatment.