IADR Abstract Archives
Association between Dental Caries and Growth in Young Honduran Children
Objectives: Dental caries and child nutrition are closely intertwined public health challenges, but there is conflicting evidence about the presence and direction of the association between them. Malnutrition in infancy may cause dental defects that predispose children to caries, while pain from untreated caries may hinder food intake, potentially leading to growth impairment. We aimed to investigate: 1) association between caries status and anthropometry; and 2) potential risk factors for dental caries in young children from Roatán, Honduras.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study of children aged 2-5 years (N=175), trained clinicians recorded anthropometric measurements, assessed caries status using a modified International Caries Detection and Assessment System and interviewed caregivers regarding socio-demographics and child feeding behaviors. We calculated gender- and age-adjusted Z-scores: height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ) and BMI-for-age (BAZ), following World Health Organization standard growth charts. We evaluated: 1) the relationship between categories of the decayed, missing, or filled teeth index (dmft=0, 1≤dmft≤5, dmft>5) and mean Z-scores, adjusting for socio-demographics and diet using linear regression; and 2) potential risk factors for caries (dmft>0) using Poisson regression with robust variance, adjusted for socio-demographics and other factors.
Results: Mean dmft was 3.2 (SD: 4.3) and prevalence of cavitated decay was 54% (94/175). There was no statistically significant graded-relationship across caries categories (dmft=0, 1≤dmft≤5, dmft>5) and corresponding adjusted mean Z-scores for HAZ (-0.05, 0.01, 0.02), WAZ (-0.33, -0.02, -0.20) or BAZ (-0.28, 0.27, -0.28). Factors associated with caries were age (prevalence ratio, PR: 1.84, 95%CI: 1.27-2.66), household size ≥6 persons (PR: 1.37, 95%CI: 1.04-1.81), milk consumption >1x/day (PR: 0.63, 95%CI: 0.42-0.93) and soda consumption >1x/day (PR: 1.81, 95%CI: 1.27-2.58). After adjustment, age (PR: 1.85, 95%CI: 1.24-2.78) and soda consumption >1x/day (PR: 1.51, 95%CI: 1.03-2.22) remained statistically significant.
Conclusions: Mean anthropometric values were not associated with levels of caries experience in this population.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study of children aged 2-5 years (N=175), trained clinicians recorded anthropometric measurements, assessed caries status using a modified International Caries Detection and Assessment System and interviewed caregivers regarding socio-demographics and child feeding behaviors. We calculated gender- and age-adjusted Z-scores: height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ) and BMI-for-age (BAZ), following World Health Organization standard growth charts. We evaluated: 1) the relationship between categories of the decayed, missing, or filled teeth index (dmft=0, 1≤dmft≤5, dmft>5) and mean Z-scores, adjusting for socio-demographics and diet using linear regression; and 2) potential risk factors for caries (dmft>0) using Poisson regression with robust variance, adjusted for socio-demographics and other factors.
Results: Mean dmft was 3.2 (SD: 4.3) and prevalence of cavitated decay was 54% (94/175). There was no statistically significant graded-relationship across caries categories (dmft=0, 1≤dmft≤5, dmft>5) and corresponding adjusted mean Z-scores for HAZ (-0.05, 0.01, 0.02), WAZ (-0.33, -0.02, -0.20) or BAZ (-0.28, 0.27, -0.28). Factors associated with caries were age (prevalence ratio, PR: 1.84, 95%CI: 1.27-2.66), household size ≥6 persons (PR: 1.37, 95%CI: 1.04-1.81), milk consumption >1x/day (PR: 0.63, 95%CI: 0.42-0.93) and soda consumption >1x/day (PR: 1.81, 95%CI: 1.27-2.58). After adjustment, age (PR: 1.85, 95%CI: 1.24-2.78) and soda consumption >1x/day (PR: 1.51, 95%CI: 1.03-2.22) remained statistically significant.
Conclusions: Mean anthropometric values were not associated with levels of caries experience in this population.