Dental Caries and Growth in School-Age Children

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Dental caries in young children is commonly untreated and represents a public health problem. Dental caries in children is reported to affect their anthropometric outcomes, but the evidence is conflicting. Some studies found no association, whereas others found that caries was associated with underweight or overweight. The objective was to assess the relationship between dental caries status and height and weight in 6- to 8-year-old Saudi children with high caries prevalence. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional survey in schoolchildren aged 6 to 8 years attending military primary schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Caries status was assessed by using the dmft (decayed, missing, filled, teeth [primary teeth]) index. Height and weight were assessed by using z scores of height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), and BMI-for-age (BAZ) calculated by World Health Organization standardized procedures. Relationships between caries and HAZ, WAZ, and BAZ were assessed by using regression models. RESULTS: A total of 417 of the 436 eligible schoolchildren with complete data were included, with a response rate of 95.6%. Their mean dmft index was 5.7 ± 4.2. There was an inverse linear relationship between caries status and children’s HAZ, WAZ, and BAZ and significantly lower anthropometric outcomes for children at each consecutive group with higher levels of caries. The associations remained significant after adjusting for dental, social, and demographic variables. CONCLUSIONS: The inverse linear association between dental caries and all anthropometric outcomes suggests that higher levels of untreated caries are associated with poorer growth in Saudi schoolchildren.

Evolution of the rapidly mutating human salivary agglutinin gene ( DMBT1 ) and population subsistence strategy

“…This scenario presupposes that caries was an agent of natural selection before the development of modern dentistry (8,45). We think that this is not unlikely, given the known acute consequences of caries, such as the increased risk of abscess (46) and chronic consequences increase in difficulty eating, particularly in children, and reduced weight/height gain (47,48). Nevertheless, hypotheses about the agents of evolutionary change in humans are very difficult to prove, and we note that, given DMBT1 SAG protein is expressed on other mucosal epithelia and interacts with other microbes, other evolutionary scenarios are possible, such as adaptation to an altered microbiome of the gut.…”

Caries dental en niños de 0-5 años del municipio de Andes, Colombia. Evaluación mediante el sistema internacional de detección y valoración de caries - ICDAS

“…En Colombia se han reportado cifras variables, llegando a afectar más de tres cuartas partes de los niños y niñas evaluados en algunos de estos estudios [4][5][6][7], con diferentes niveles de severidad. Este problema de salud bucal es motivo de preocupación, por cuanto se tiene evidencia de que compromete el bienestar, la calidad de vida y el adecuado crecimiento y desarrollo de niños y niñas [8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

Relationship between overall child development and caries severity in Chilean three-year-old preschool children.

“…Most research on this relationship has been conducted in populations with caries and compromised pulp in communities whose caries prevalence is 87.1% 9 and 82.3%.…”

“…8 It has been reported that advanced caries produce pain, irritability and disturbance in sleep, affecting the quality of life of children and potentially leading to impaired secretion of growth hormone. 9 Infection and inflammation caused by caries result in increased energy expenditure and metabolic demand, and can lead to a decrease in micronutrients. 9 Levels of glucocorticoids increase in response to pain caused by tooth infection, 10 producing an alteration in neurogenesis.…”

“…9 Infection and inflammation caused by caries result in increased energy expenditure and metabolic demand, and can lead to a decrease in micronutrients. 9 Levels of glucocorticoids increase in response to pain caused by tooth infection, 10 producing an alteration in neurogenesis. 11 Caries in preschoolers can cause depression, school distraction and increased chances of missing school, which can damage self-esteem resulting in school failure.…”