Correlations of the number of emerged primary teeth with physical growth among Kurdish children

Abstract

Objectives: The need for deeper understanding of the influence of growth parameters on the human dentition is of importance for the dental as a well as forensic specialists. The present study tries to provide reference data on normal dental development and to evaluate the influence of age, gender, weight, and height on the number of erupted primary teeth among Kurdish population.
 Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out over the course of 10 months involving a clinical oral examination, and weight and height measurements of 867 children from patients of health care center in Sulaimani city. All measurements were carried out following standardized guidelines according to the Anthropometric Standardization Reference Manual. A tooth is counted as erupted if any part of its crown has emerged through the gingiva of the oral cavity.
 Results: A total of 867 children aged 4-48 months were examined for this study and the numbers of children were categorized in 3-month interval age groups. The overall mean age (±S.D.) of the children was 17.1 ± 10.9 months (Males, 17.5 ± 10.8; Females, 16.7 ± 10.8). The total number of erupted teeth increased with age with a mean number of erupted teeth of 8.6 teeth/child (For Males: 9.1 teeth/child and for Females: 8.1 teeth/child). Males had more teeth than females by an average of about one tooth per child (P<0.05). Partial correlation coefficients of the total numbers of erupted teeth were positively significant with both height and weight while controlling for age in both males and females (P<0.001). Furthermore, the same results were present, when Z-scores for length/height for age and weight for age were partially correlated with the total number of erupted deciduous teeth while controlling for age (P<0.01).
 Conclusions: According to the results of the present study and the data presented; it can be concluded that there is a relation between gender, height and weight and the total number of erupted primary teeth.

Growth Stunting Implication in Children: A Review on Primary Tooth Eruption

“…Based on the results of this study, it can be interpreted that normal children with better nutrition have more teeth and earlier tooth eruption. 19 The height, weight, and head circumference of a child are related to nutrition. The results of Vejdani et al showed that the eruption of primary teeth could indicate the nutritional status of children.…”

“…15 Ali et al assessed the number of erupted primary teeth and their relationship to the z-score of height for age. 19 Gaur and Kumar, Shaweesh and Al-Batayneh, and Vejdani et al also conducted a review of the relationship between height and weight with the appearance of deciduous teeth. 14,16,17…”