1Professor and Head, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Rajarajeshwari Dental College and Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
2Final year post graduation student [M.D.S] in Department of Public Health Dentistry, Rajarajeshwari Dental College and Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
3Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Rajarajeshwari Dental College and Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
*Correspondence Address: Padma K. Bhat (Professor and HOD), Rajarajeshwari Dental College And Hospital No.14, Ramohalli cross, Kumbalgodu, Mysore road, Bangalore - 74 Karnataka, India
Online published on 11 October, 2012.
Dermatoglyphics is the study of dermal ridge configurations on palmar and plantar surfaces of hands and feet. Dermal ridges and craniofacial structures are both formed during 6–7th week of intra-uterine life, therefore hereditary and environmental factors leading to Dental caries may also cause peculiarities in fingerprint patterns.
This study compares and evaluates the dermatoglyphic peculiarities and caries experience of Deaf and mute children with those of healthy children.
A total of 200 school children aged 6–16 years were selected using purposive and simple random sampling.Their fingerprints were recorded with duplicating ink and caries experience was clinically assessed by dmft/DMFT index.
Mann-Whitney test revealed statistical association between whorl patterns and loop patters in caries and caries free group (P<0.001).However, no overall statistical association was observed between fingerprint patterns between deaf and mute children and healthy children (P<0.001). Caries experience was higher amongst the deaf and mute children (P<0.001).
Dermatoglyphics could be an appropriate method to explore the possibility of a noninvasive and an early predictor for dental caries and hearing impairment in children so as to initiate the preventive oral health measures at an early age.
Fall, Height, Head Injury, Fracture, Intracranial Hemorrhage
