A systematic review published in the prestigious “Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health” unveils startling findings that could transform the way coeliac disease is detected and managed in pediatric patients. According to the findings, dental signs might appear before gastrointestinal symptoms in coeliac disease. Individuals with oral manifestations should undergo screening for coeliac disease. Collaborative efforts between gastroenterologists and dentists have the potential to enhance the identification of coeliac disease.

A rigorous systematic review was executed, scouring prominent databases such as Scopus, Medline, EBSCOhost, and the Cochrane Library for Systematic Review. Just the observational or experimental research full-paper articles in English between January 2000 and December 2022 were considered. The study concentrated on children and juveniles (aged under 20 years), and the risk of bias was assessed with the help of the ROBINS-E tool i.e. the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies of Exposure tool.

The research team meticulously reviewed thirty-four studies, and their analysis unearthed a higher prevalence of various oral manifestations associated with coeliac disease, which impacts both hard and soft tissues. Notably, the study revealed dental enamel defects with an occurrence varying from 17.9% to 83.5% (P value <0.047) and recurrent aphthous stomatitis varying from 8.3% to 69% (P value <0.039).

This study has far-reaching implications for the healthcare community, emphasizing the importance of early identification and collaboration between healthcare providers to improve the diagnosis and enhance the quality of care and outcomes for young patients with coeliac disease.