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Dental status does not predict infection during stem cell transplantation: a single-center survey

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 52, pages 1041–1043 (2017)Cite this article

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That dental health had little impact is surprising, since careful dental evaluation prior to HSCT is standard of care and minimizing the risk of dental foci in HSCT was emphasized to improve the outcome.10 A decision analysis based on PubMed and MEDLINE searches found that dental treatment prior to chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is generally advised.11 A single-center study oral-dental examination to be performed with a median of 15 days prior to HSCT reported often requiring scaling, plastic fillings and extractions.12 However, previously a smaller study in Germany with 58 patients found no correlation between dental foci and infections, mucositis, and survival rate.13 A Swedish study focused on partially erupted TM and observed no increased risk of systemic infections, but a higher rate of local complications.14 However, during HSCT in our study only one patient complained of dental pain. Without doubt dental evaluation prior to HSCT is advisable. In addition, it has to be considered that oral health has an impact on quality of life of stem cell transplantation patients.15 However, the data presented here indicate that the risk of dental intervention prior to HSCT should be balanced to the limited benefit. In our study extraction of teeth prior to transplantation was not found to be associated with a protective effect in regard to NF and infections. While dental evaluation prior to HSCT should be performed whenever feasible, dental interventions should be limited to overt infection or urgent clinical need.

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Author notes

  1. A Humpe

    Present address: 4Current address: Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology with blood bank, University Hospital Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany;,

  2. R Repp

    Present address: 5Current address: 2nd Medical Department, City Hospital of Kiel, Kiel, Magdeburg, Germany and,

  3. T Nitsche

    Present address: 6Current address: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Regensburg-Passau, Germany,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Medical Department 2, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany

    A Guenther, E Losch, M Schiessl, A Humpe, R Repp & M Gramatzki

  2. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany

    E Losch, M Schiessl, T Nitsche & J Wiltfang

  3. Department of Pediatrics, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany

    A Schrauder

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  1. A Guenther
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Correspondence to A Guenther.

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Guenther, A., Losch, E., Schiessl, M. et al. Dental status does not predict infection during stem cell transplantation: a single-center survey. Bone Marrow Transplant 52, 1041–1043 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2017.76

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