Macho V, Rodrigues R, Pinto D, Castro R, Silva CC, Silva CC, Soares SC. Importance of celiac disease oral manifestations in pediatric patients: A systematic review. World J Clin Pediatr 2025; 14(2): 102002 [DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v14.i2.102002]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Sandra Clara Soares, PhD, Assistant Professor, Doctor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa, Praça de 9 de Abril 349, Porto 4249-004, Portugal. vmacho@ufp.edu.pt
Research Domain of This Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Article-Type of This Article
Systematic Reviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Viviana Macho, Rita Rodrigues, Diana Pinto, Rita Castro, Cátia Carvalho Silva, Cristina Cardoso Silva, Sandra Clara Soares, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa, Porto 4249-004, Portugal
Co-first authors: Viviana Macho and Rita Rodrigues.
Author contributions: Macho V, Pinto D, Rodrigues R designed the overall concept and outline of the manuscript; Macho V, Pinto D, Rodrigues R, Soares CC contributed to the discussion and design of the manuscript; Castro R, Silva CC, contributed to the writing, and editing the manuscript and review of literature; all of the authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No financial or non-financial benefits have been received or will be received from any party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Sandra Clara Soares, PhD, Assistant Professor, Doctor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa, Praça de 9 de Abril 349, Porto 4249-004, Portugal. vmacho@ufp.edu.pt
Received: October 5, 2024 Revised: February 6, 2025 Accepted: February 20, 2025 Published online: June 9, 2025 Processing time: 163 Days and 17.3 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. It is more commonly diagnosed in children presenting typical clinical signs and symptoms but most of the CD patients diagnosed in the developed world are silent cases with no prominent gastrointestinal features. Thus, there are silent forms of the disease in which oral manifestations are the first sign. In the pediatric population oral health can affect growth and self-esteem and have a negative impact in their life quality.
AIM
To assess the prevalence and types of oral manifestations in pediatric patients with CD.
METHODS
We performed a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Scielo, Cochrane Library and Lilacs databases from 2014-2024. Three independent researchers screened and extracted the information, applying the eligibility criteria and bias was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute tools.
RESULTS
Of the initial 241 articles, 14 studies fulfilled the proposed objectives and were included in the review. The main oral manifestations found were recurrent aphthous stomatitis and enamel defects. Additionally, delayed tooth eruption, angular cheilitis, glossodynia and xerostomia were also reported.
CONCLUSION
Assessing oral manifestations is crucial, especially in underdiagnosed cases of children with CD. Recognizing these signs helps pediatricians or general practitioners identify them during routine exams, enabling early diagnosis and treatment to prevent negative impacts on the child’s and family’s quality of life.
Core Tip: Celiac disease is a chronic enteropathy with atypical manifestations and complex etiopathogenesis, challenging clinicians. Understanding its oral manifestations can greatly improve patients' quality of life. These manifestations occur in the non-keratinized oral mucosa, impacting feeding, speech, swallowing, and tooth brushing. Dentists play a crucial role in treating oral consequences, identifying cases early, and referring patients for medical evaluation. Their involvement is essential for timely diagnosis and management. Multidisciplinary collaboration between dentists and physicians ensures comprehensive care, addressing both oral and gastrointestinal aspects. Early detection and intervention can significantly improve outcomes and prevent long-term complications for affected individuals.
