Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 12 3 2013 09 15 254 261 EN Sara Ehsani Dental Student’s Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mostafa Moin Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Ghasem Meighani Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Seyed Jalal Pourhashemi Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Hadi Khayatpisheh Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Nazli Yarahmadi Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2015 10 16 Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways, which is diagnosed by periodic symptoms of inflammation, bronchial spasm, and increased mucosal secretions. It has higher incidence among the preschool children. There are many contradictory reports based on the effect of asthma on oral health, however it has been hypothesized that asthma could lead to poor oral health. The objective of the present study was to investigate oral health indices in 44 preschool children of three to six years old with mild to moderate asthma and 46 matched healthy children in Tehran Children's Respiratory Center. Dental plaque, gingival inflammation, mouth breathing, and dental caries were evaluated by one trained examiner according to World Health Organization [WHO] criteria. Culture and colony counting of streptococcus mutans and lactobacillus species were carried out in saliva specimens of the patients. The effects of different factors on the colony counts were statistically analyzed using linear regression analysis. The level of mother’s education and preexisting asthma disease in children had significant effect  on  the  colony counts  of  streptococcus  species whereas no  factor  was found  to influence the number of lactobacillus counts significantly. The results indicated no significant differences between the children with asthma and those without asthma regarding (decayed, missing, filled, teeth) dmft index (mean of 3.34 in asthmatic children and 3.0 in the control group). Therefore, it can be deduced that the presence of asthma disease did not increase the probability of tooth decay. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/505 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/505/534