Cavities and Calories: Exploring the Relationship Between Early Childhood Caries and Body Mass Index.

BACKGROUND

Early childhood dental health is a key determinant of overall health and well-being. Healthy dentition ensures proper mastication, clear speech, and acceptable appearance, all of which contribute to a child's nutrition, communication, and social development. In recent years, growing attention has been directed toward the association between dental caries and children's physical growth. Body mass index (BMI), widely recognized as an indicator of nutritional status and growth patterns, has been explored in this context. Aberrant BMI values, whether indicative of undernutrition or overweight, may influence oral health outcomes, while conversely, dental caries can impair dietary intake and thereby affect BMI and growth trajectories in early childhood.

AIM: This study aimed to explore the association between early childhood caries and growth status, measured by BMI, in children aged 3-6 years.

METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 260 children attending a pediatric dental outpatient department. A structured questionnaire was completed by parents, and clinical examinations were performed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Anthropometric measurements were taken, and BMI-for-age percentiles were calculated using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth charts. Children were categorized as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.

RESULT: The prevalence of early childhood caries in the study population was 34.2%. A significantly higher proportion of early childhood caries was observed among underweight children (49.4%) compared to those with normal or higher BMI (p=0.001). No significant association was found between early childhood caries and age or gender.

CONCLUSION

A significant association was identified between early childhood caries and underweight status in preschool-aged children. These findings underscore the need for integrated oral health and nutrition strategies to support optimal growth and development in early childhood.