Abstract

Background: There is a relationship between dermatoglyphic patterns and oral diseases. This study aimed to compare the rate of dermatoglyphic patterns between the caries-active group and the caries-free group. Method: The study was performed on 371 children aged 6 - 12 years at Khe Tre Town primary school, Nam Dong district, Thua Thien Hue province. The children were examined and assessed for the decayed, missing, and filled teeth index. The fingerprints of both the caries-active group and the caries-free group were recorded and then classified and compared between the two groups. Results: The frequency of whorls was found to be more in the caries-active group and the frequency of loops was more in the caries-free group. Conclusion: Dermatoglyphic patterns may be used as a non-invasive tool for screening of early dental caries and guiding future research