Dental Caries among a Group of Children Receiving Radiotherapy in Medical City, Baghdad

Background: Radiation treatment is frequently utilized in management of head and neck cancer (HNC). This technique uses ionizing radiation to target specific cancer cells, either by directly destroying their genetic material or by causing them to produce free radicals, which ultimately kill the cells. Objective: To assess dental caries, oral hygiene and gingival health condition among children with (HNC) after receiving radiotherapy. Methods: The total sample composed of 100 children with HNC aged 2 years and above attending to Medical City in Baghdad, Iraq for their regular followup and treatment, were selected randomly for the study. Results: The entire group of children (HNC) was caries-active. According to gender, males had the higher mean value (dmfs) with significant differences. Regarding to age both (dmfs) mean values was higher at age ≥8 years with highly significant difference only for dmfs value. The mean difference of (PlI, GI) indices for each gender was significant. The correlation between PI, GI, indices and dmfs was significant with positively correlated. Conclusions: Comprehensive oral health education and preventative measures are vital for enhancing oral health conditions.