Prevalence of Developmental Defects of Enamel AmongChildren With Down Syndrome in Damascus, Syria

Background: Down syndrome (DS) is a disorder which has conditions that may contribute to thedevelopmental defects of enamel (DDE) etiologies. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence ofDDE among children with DS.Methods: This study cross-sectional observational study examined a total of ۸۸ children with DS and ۸۷healthy children. A modified DDE index for screening surveys was employed in this regard. Demarcatedopacities, diffuse opacities, dysplasia, and combinations between types were recorded, and finally, datawere analyzed by chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests using SPSS software.Results: The prevalence of enamel defects in DS and control groups was obtained as ۴۵% and ۳۴%,respectively, with no statistically significant differences between the groups (P = ۰.۱۳۹). The mean numberof teeth with DDE was ۲.۴۸ ± ۳.۷۹ and ۱.۰۹ ± ۲.۱۱ in the DS and control groups, respectively. Based onthe results, statistically significant differences were found between DDE means (P = ۰.۰۰۹). Demarcatedopacities were the most frequent type of enamel defects in both groups. Eventually, a statistically significantrelationship was observed between diffuse opacities and DS (P = ۰.۰۰۰).Conclusions: In general, DS had no influence on DDE prevalence; however, it increases affected dentalunits. Diffuse opacities are more frequent among children with DS compared to healthy children. Furtherstudies are required on the DDE prevalence in Syria.