Background: The aim of this study was to compare the oral health findings and salivary parameters of children with different stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with those of healthy peers.

Methods: Intraoral examinations were performed on 43 children aged 8-17 years with CKD and 40 healthy controls from the same pediatric nephrology clinic. Oral health was assessed using the DMFT/dft indices (decayed-missing-filled-teeth), debris index (DI), calculus index (CI), and simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S). Saliva samples from the children were analyzed for salivary flow rate (SFR), pH, buffering capacity (BC), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), urea, creatinine (Cr), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), and salivary α-amylase (SAA). Spearman's rho coefficient was used to examine the relationship between salivary and serum biomarkers levels and oral health findings.

Results: While the DMFT/dft scores were lower in children with CKD (p = 0.001), DI, CI, and OHI-S scores were higher in healthy peers (p < 0.001). Children with CKD had lower SFR, Ca, and TAOC levels, and higher BC, pH, urea, Cr, K, P, TOS, and SAA levels (p < 0.001) compared to healthy controls. Later stages of CKD was associated with the lower dft ( rs" role="presentation" >rs = - 0.35; p = 0.022).

Conclusions: Children with CKD exhibit fewer caries and poorer oral hygiene compared to their healthy peers, and their saliva characteristics differ significantly from those of the healthy group. Disease-related changes in serum and salivary characteristics affect the oral health of children with CKD, necessitating collaboration between pediatric nephrologists and dentists.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06578832).