STOMATOPATHOLOGIC LESIONS IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH HIV: THE CLINICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE DENTIST

AIDS is a systemic condition of immune deficiency created by the HIV virus, which attacks the white blood cells and reduces their ability to defend against infections, making the virus carrier vulnerable to significant mouth infections. Pediatric AIDS is characterized as a viral infection manifested between 0 and 13 years of age, and because these patients have an immature immune system to begin with, the symptoms differ from one person to another. Because of this, oral lesions can be important indicators of disease progression and can also represent reduction of efficiency of antiretroviral treatment. In this situation, it is essential for the dentist to identify the lesions in order to get an early diagnosis and establish an appropriate treatment. It’s also important to inform those responsible for the child of the importance of oral health in the quality of life. Due to the relevance of the subject and the reduced number of studies about this theme, this work aims to present, through a literary review, the main stomatological changes that affect children with AIDS, emphasizing clinical exams to help recognize these changes; often, stomatological changes are, in most of the cases, the first signs of illness.