DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i07.002

Pages: 2260-2265

Background: Oral Mucositis is one of the side effects of treating cancer with chemotherapy and high dose of targeted radiotherapy, which negatively affects the quality of life of a cancer patient. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to find the oral mucosal status of children undergoing chemotherapy in a tertiary health care facility in Lucknow, India. Association of oral mucosal status to parent’soral health knowledge, parental educational level, family’s monthly income and preferences of doctors regarding oral health care were also observed. 106 children below the age of 14 years attending the Department of Pediatric Oncology in a tertiary health care facility at Lucknow and undergoing active chemotherapy were invited for the study. The study comprised of two parts 1) a parental questionnaire, and 2) a clinical examination of the oral mucosa of the child. Grading of oral mucosa was done according to the WHO scale. Frequency, distribution tables and descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables. 39% children were seen to be suffering from some grade of oral mucositis. 60% of the parents had poor knowledge regarding oral health care. Health care providers and parents had an unfavorable attitude towards oral health of the child. Oral health knowledge of care givers and the role of health care professionals were lacking in many aspects and needed to be improved so as to reduce the oral affliction of pediatric cancer patients.